A Moment Changes Everything
by Xtyne
Summary: **BEING REWRITTEN - Wake Me Up** It was my dreams that brought me to Dallas Texas. It was my dreams that brought me to him. But not even my dreams were able to stop the inevitable uprising by the Fellowship of the Sun, a war that I was suddenly thrust into. Godric/OC
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

There was soft music playing in the background as I sat at a small round table in the back of the coffee shop, a steaming hot chocolate nursed in my hands. It was the middle of winter, and the coolness of the north had reached even Dallas, Texas. Those around me on this January evening were bustling about, grabbing their warm Styrofoam cups of coffee and darting back out into the snowy night to hurry home. Some lounged around, enjoying the warmth the coffee shop brought. I was doing neither. I wasn't there for enjoyment, but neither did I want to quickly leave this coffee shop I had only stepped foot in today. I was only here, waiting for a sign that I wasn't entirely crazy. But as I sat there, the hours dwindling on, I began to believe that my family and friends had been right all along.

I came here, to Dallas all the way from a rural Ohio town, on a whim. There was no hard evidence, there was no solid proof. I was simply here because of my dreams. They led me here, to this coffee shop, waiting for a certain individual to step into the heated building. But to me, they weren't just dreams. They had felt too real to be simple dreams. I had pictured this very coffee shop without ever having been here, ever having seen a picture of it before. I had seen these exact people, from the teenager at the cash register, to the family of three at the table beside mine. It couldn't have just been a coincidence. These sorts of things didn't normally happen. These dreams weren't just normal dreams. They meant something. So I was here to understand what they may mean, why I was having them.

And to save a life.

My parents had told me I wasn't thinking straight, that I was simply stressed by school. My friends, what little friends I had left, had only told me the same thing. They were just dreams, they had all said. I was looking too much into them. But they weren't right. I knew it my heart that they weren't right. These were more than just dreams. They had to be.

So here I was, sitting in this coffee shop, waiting for the life I was determined to save. But as time wore on, I began wondering if they had all been right, if these dreams weren't much more than the simple stress of school getting to me. I was about to leave, about to pack up and just find my way back home. I would have to suffer through the chorus of 'I told you so' I would get from my loved ones, but at least I would know the truth. However, just as I was about to pull my jacket on, I caught sight of the front door to the coffee shop opening and my jaw dropped open. There he was, looking exactly like he had in my dreams. I watched as he glided across the floor to the counter, ordering what appeared to be a True Blood, taking in every detail of him. He wasn't tall, possibly only a few inches taller than I was, but his build appeared to be fit. He wore only a thin linen long sleeved shirt and cotton pants, and odd combination in the dead of winter. But I suppose he wouldn't even acknowledge the cold weather, being cold blooded. His hair was a chestnut brown and was cut short, framing his pale face. His eyes though, his eyes were just perfect. I would be able to recognize those eyes anywhere. I felt as if I had seen those round blue eyes my entire life. They captivated me in every single one of my dreams. And there they were, only feet away from me, real and not just a figment of my imagination.

The dreams began when I was only a little girl. I never thought much of them back then. I was so innocent, so open minded to the wonders of the world that the oddities between my dreams and reality never seemed to matter to me. It was in junior high and high school that things began to become more serious. I started to notice that what I dreamt began to happen. I would fall asleep in class, only to awake to the entire class staring at me, laughing at the fact that I had been talking in my sleep. When I would warn my friends of things to come, they would only roll their eyes and go on their way. But when the dreams began to come true, that was when they started calling me a freak. By the time I was a senior in high school, I was labelled as the freak and no longer had any friends. I thought it would change once I began Ohio State, but the dreams only got worse.

But these dreams, they only had one subject. And that was the vampire that was now taking a seat near the window of the coffee shop, a true blood nestled in one hand as he gazed out into the snowy night.

"_That's him, that's the vamp."_

"_What's that fanger doing here? We don't want his scum in this place."_

"_We should do something about it man."_

My face paled as I peeked around my long blonde hair, eavesdropping on the group of college kids in the back corner of the coffee shop. They were shooting glares at the vampire from my dreams, their whispers growing softer as they began to come up with a devious plan to get rid of the vampire. This was exactly how the dream had gone, word for word. Except in that dream, the vampire had been tortured, blood drained into vials, and left for dead out in the back alley. This was exactly why I was here. I couldn't let this happen. He may be a vampire, and he may have done horrible things in the past to stay alive, but I had watched his life for the past few months and I knew he was not someone who deserved death. At least not in that manner. He wasn't like all the other vampires you heard about on TV or through gossip. He was kind, caring, and held onto humanity with a death grip. He was the last person in the world to be treated like how those three men were planning.

Without evening giving it another thought, I quickly pulled on my jacket and stood up. I manoeuvred my way across the coffee shop until I was by the door. I contemplated for a brief moment what I was going to do, then put my plan into action. I shot towards the vampire's table and slid into the seat across from him, actually startling the still vampire. His blue eyes pierced mine, an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"You need to leave." I urged him in a hushed tone, leaning forward over the table. My eyes were wide and I knew I sounded like a complete crazy person. But I knew that if this vampire didn't leave now, then he may not make it to morning. "You need to leave right now. You're in danger."

The vampire opened his mouth to speak, but I only shook my head and eyed the group of college students out the corner of my eye. They hadn't noticed that I was now sitting across from the vampire, too entranced by their conversation.

"Those three back there, in the corner," I nodded in their direction. "They're planning on using silver chains they have in their bags to attack you one you leave."

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes narrowing as he glanced ever so slightly at the men in the back.

"If you don't leave now, you're going to die." I bit down on my bottom lip, nearly breaking through the skin. "You really need to leave. Please, before they can do anything to you."

My eyes pleaded with him, begging for him to believe me. He must have as he stared me straight in the eye and nodded. Before I could even blink, I felt a gust of wind blow my hair into my face, and suddenly, the vampire had disappeared. I looked all around but couldn't find a hint to where he had gone, and sighed in relief. I had done it. I had prevented the horrible dream from occurring. I never expected it to be this easy, or for it to be real at all. It still felt like some sort dream itself. But as I left the coffee shop myself, I felt a sense of pride surge through me. I had managed to save a life tonight. He may have been a vampire, but he was a life worth saving. He wasn't a monster. Or maybe he was and I only had dreams that showed me one side of him. But it was a side of him that gave me faith that not all vampires were evil. Even tonight, there was a spark inside those blue eyes. He had acted like any other human inside that coffee shop. He only wanted peace, only wanted to interact like anyone else. And if it hadn't of been for me, he would have found himself near dead by the time the sun rose. And for that, I felt proud.

Whatever these dreams were, whatever they meant, I just knew that my parents, my so called friends, they weren't right. These weren't nothing. They weren't meaningless and just a figment of my imagination. They were real, completely real, and I was being given them for a reason. What that reason was, I had absolutely no idea. But after tonight, I felt like I was one step closer to figuring that out, one way or another.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One:**

I explored Dallas the next day, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I didn't feel any desire to make the trek back home, just yet anyways, and instead enjoyed myself. I had been so focused on school, so focused on making everyone else around me happy, that I just never took anytime for myself. I had either been miserable or stressed for the past few months and I was tired of it. I had done a good deed last night; I had taken the first step in understanding these dreams that have haunted me my entire life. I wanted to rejoice, celebrate even. I didn't want to return home to a father who pretended nothing was wrong and a mother who tried to make me out to be someone who I wasn't. I wanted to be happy and free, and for once in my life, just belong somewhere. I had only been in Dallas for a little over 24 hours, and I already felt all of those things. I felt like I belonged here, like there was something in this Texas city that drew me to it. I had never known it before, but the moment I stepped foot in this state, it just felt like the right place to be.

By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, I still wasn't ready to make my way back to the hotel I had booked for a couple of nights. I got a bite to eat at a small diner and then took another walk around the city. I was from a small rural town in Ohio, lived on a farm my entire life. I had hardly been to the city, especially one as grand as Dallas, Texas. It was just amazing to see all the sky rises, the vast amount of people billowing about at night.

When the honking and the partying cries became a bit too much, I wandered off into a park, enjoying the peacefulness it brought. I pulled my jacket around me tighter as a smile crossed my lips. I strolled through the park, enjoying the starry night and the light breeze that swept through my hair. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground, but the air had warmed up considerably since last night. It was much different than the Ohio winters I was used to. Below freezing weather and feet of snow were the usual in Ohio, but here in Texas, everything was different. I was actually beginning to enjoy the climate better than the Ohio weather. I was tired of seeing the same old thing all the time. I wanted change. Maybe Dallas could be that sense of adventure I've been dying for.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I never heard him until he was directly behind me, the snow crunching under his feet. My breath was caught in my throat as I spun around, my long hair whipping me in the face. My eyes were as wide as saucers, my heart racing so hard I was sure it would just suddenly explode out of my chest. When my eyes landed on those electric blue eyes from the night before, my heart just about stopped. I was breathing heavily, my hand hovering over my heart as I just stared at the vampire, too shocked to speak.

"You should not be walking alone at night." His voice was just how I remembered from my dreams; soft and smooth. I couldn't deny the slight flutter of my heart the moment he opened his mouth. I could listen to him talk for hours, all while looking into those eyes. There was just something so soothing, so comforting about him, and I had never even met him in person until last night. But after having dreams of this vampire for months, I felt like I knew him better than I knew my family and friends who I had known my entire life.

When I realized that this vampire had been staring at me for the last five minutes, as if expecting a response, my cheeks immediately reddened and I let my long wavy hair fall into my face to hide my embarrassment.

"You should also not be sneaking up behind people." I pointed out, trying to pull myself together. Just because he turned out to be real and not just a figment of my imagination, it didn't mean I could fawn all over him. Any longer and I was sure I would have found myself drooling.

"My apologies." His lips twitched, amusement showing in his captivating blue eyes.

I wrapped my arms around myself as the warm night began to grow cooler. Or maybe it was just me. This wasn't exactly how I pictured a one on one meeting with the stranger from my dreams would go. I had already made a fool out of myself and it hadn't even been ten minutes yet. Maybe it would just be better if I hurried myself along and forgot all about our little encounter tonight. If anyone asked, I had only met him last night when I saved his life. "Er...I'm just going to go."

I quickly twisted around, wanting to get far away as I could before I could lose anymore of my dignity. Why was I actually like such a floozy? I was a farm girl from Ohio; I didn't usually act like this. It was just so hard to concentrate as I stood in front of the vampire who had been the center of my dreams for so long. The _handsome_ stranger. Half the time I even wondered if the dreams were real or not, despite the feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me they were. And now here he was, in the flesh, completely real. It just settled everything for me. My dreams, they were real. Everything that had happened in my life that had been so odd, that had threw me for a loop, it wasn't just by accident or coincidence. _My dreams were real_. That wasn't normal. Which meant that somehow I wasn't normal. I never fully thought about how that would make me feel when I decided to hop onto a plane to save this vampire's life. And now I couldn't just look the other way, couldn't brush it off. It was staring me straight in the face and suddenly, I was completely scared.

"You saved my life." his soft voice stopped me before I could take a step.

I closed my eyes tightly, wishing I was anywhere but here. I had wished every night that I would wake up from those dreams that I would be able to meet this vampire, that I would be able to stare into those blue eyes. But now, all I wanted was to be back home in Ohio, safe in my farmhouse and far far away from here. Maybe I wasn't so ready to face reality like I thought I was.

"For that I wish to thank you. You did not have to do something so kind to someone...someone like me." there was a hint of sadness in his tone that forced me to turn back around. When my brown orbs met his, my heart shattered. It was like staring into this vampire's soul, one I wasn't sure was actually there or not. It wasn't surprising to see such sadness however. It was the same look I had seen in countless of my dreams. I never understood why he was so sad, always so defeated. It was almost like he was just ready to give up. But from what?

"You didn't deserve what they had planned for you. No one does." I reasoned.

"Many would disagree." His head tilted to the side. "Nonetheless, I thank you for your kindness, though I do not deserve it."

"That's not for you to decide." I pointed out. "It's not ourselves that decide our worth; it's those around us, our loved ones."

"You are young to be so wise."

"I'm not so wise." I snorted.

"Naive perhaps."

My snort turned into a scoff. "I'm not naive either."

"You are not scared of me. You know what I am, and yet, you do not run away. You saved my life when you simply could have let those men kill me." his eyes bore through me, as if searching for answers to unspoken questions. A shudder ran up my spine at the look, though it only captivated me even more.

"Well if you wanted to kill me you would have done so by now." I shrugged.

I was eating my words as suddenly he was barely even an inch away, his stare so intense. His fangs had extended with a click, causing the captivating stare to look a bit more ferocious. I gulped as I stared up at him, one of his hands moving up and brushing the hair off my shoulder. If it weren't for my jacket's high collar, he would have had a clear view of my neck. But somehow, even with the attempt to scare me, I wasn't frightened. I felt like I knew this vampire like the back of my hand. He wouldn't hurt me. That wasn't who he was. Maybe in the past, but not now. That sadness in his eyes told me that.

"You won't hurt me." I stood my ground, looking him dead in the eye as I kept my voice as even and confident as I possibly could. While I truly did believe he wouldn't hurt me, I couldn't stop the slight shiver of fear that ran up my spine, causing my hands to shake. I clenched them tightly, scolding myself silently to get a hold of myself.

"I am a vampire." His fingers brushed over the collar of my coat, his ice cold hand lightly touching the skin of my neck. "It's what I am; it's what I do."

"No." I shook my head. "You're a sheriff; you won't allow others to feed in your area. You wouldn't either."

It felt like time just froze as those words left my lips. It took a moment for me to realize what I had just blurted out, and my eyes widened in shock. I slapped a hand over my mouth as my face paled, mentally yelling at myself for being so stupid. I wasn't supposed to just blurt out all that I knew about him. Not like that anyways. I just couldn't stop myself. He seemed so sad, so desperate to make me afraid of him and I had to say whatever I could to prove that he wouldn't hurt me. But I had only dug myself a bigger hole. A normal person would be freaked if I knew this much about them without having ever met them before. A vampire, one as old as he sounded to be, would only grow suspicious and want answers. Answers I couldn't exactly give.

I watched his eyes change from confusion to anger before sliding back to their once dullness. I stepped away quickly, though his fangs had retracted, ready to just sprint away. I couldn't give him the answers I was sure he desperately wanted. He would want to know how I knew that, how I knew that he was the Sheriff of Area 9, how I knew the strict rules he had in place for the vampires residing in this city. But what was I supposed to say? I didn't understand these dreams, I didn't know why I was having them or for what reason. For the longest time I had thought it was simply a coincidence that my dreams seemed to come true. It wasn't until I came here and saved this vampire's life that I realized that it was more than a coincidence, that there was a higher power at work here.

And that scared the living daylights out of me.

"I...er...I need to go." I quickly spun around, ready to run as quickly as I could to the hotel and away from this vampire. I yelped when he appeared before me, making me stumble backwards and slip on the slick snowy ground. I let out a whimper as I fell backwards onto the ground, leaving me in a position I never wanted to find myself in while around a vampire. I was vulnerable. He could very well snap my neck if he wanted to. He had seemed like a kind vampire in my dreams, but a vampire can only be so kind until their natural instincts kicked in. I could potentially be a threat, who knows. I knew more about him than a stranger should, he would be curious as to why. And from what I hear, vampires tended to act first and ask questions later.

"Please..." I squeaked out, my fear spiking. I couldn't read the expression on his face as he just stood there, staring down at me. What was he thinking? I just wanted to tap into his head and figure out what he was planning on doing. "I-I can explain."

"How do you know such information?"

"I..." I tried to think of a plausible excuse. I couldn't very well tell him that I had dreams about him. If I wasn't killed by this vampire, I would surely be sent to the loony bin. "I um...it was a guess?"

"You know I am the sheriff of this area. How?" He took a step forward, his eyes narrowing.

"You...uh...you look like you would be a sheriff." I bit down on my bottom lip. I had never been good at lying. I couldn't fib, I couldn't tell a little white lie. I was the worst actress. I could never get anything passed my parents. If it wasn't my stuttering and horrible excuses, it was almost always obvious in my eyes that I was lying. I was never good at hiding my emotions; I was like an open book. I wore my heart of my sleeve.

"Are you a spy?" he questioned. His voice was soft, but there was something about his tone that demanded answers.

It was such a serious moment, and an even more serious question, but hearing those four words just made me let out a snort. I placed a hand over my mouth as I tried to stop my soft laughs as I attempted to stand back up on two feet. Just like that, my fear just suddenly leapt free. He stared at me as if I had two heads, and I'm sure in his perspective, it must have seemed like I really did.

"Me, and a spy?" I shook my head with another laugh. "Really? I can barely lie."

It was absolutely ridiculous to think of me as a spy. Who would I be working for? I was a farm girl from Ohio of all places, hardly a CIA agent from Washington. I was the farthest thing from a spy, just a scared 18 year old with all the questions in the world.

"What is your name?"

I still couldn't read him, understand if he believed I wasn't a spy or not. But I knew I couldn't lie to him, even if I was able to. I had heard about vampires and their ability to alter people's memories, to control their minds. He could simply look me in the eye and make me tell the truth, and then things would be even worse. While I didn't want to tell him about my dreams, how I had come to be in that coffee shop in order to save him, I knew that there was no other option. There was something about him that was important, that was obvious from my dreams. I had never had dreams repeat over and over again, like I had with the dream of him dying. That was why I had come here. Something was telling me that I needed to come to Dallas, that I needed to save him, that I needed to meet him. For what reason, I didn't know, but maybe there was a bigger picture. Maybe he would be able to help me in the long run. Maybe he would know why I was having these dreams, what they meant. Maybe he would be able to give me the answers I've been seeking my entire life.

"Your name." His expression hardened after I hadn't spoken.

I shook my head and inhaled deeply. "Taylor, my name is Taylor." I searched my memory for his name. I knew I had heard it in my dreams, just like I had seen those blue eyes and heard his sweet voice. "And you're Godric."

"How do you know who I am?"

My eyes closed for a moment as I tried to think of the right way to explain the oddity in my life. I had never outright told anyone about my dreams. I was too scared too. It was hard enough having everyone assume they knew what was wrong with me. I didn't want to explain this to anyone, to try and get anyone to understand. I suppose I was a bit like my father in a way; I just pretended it wasn't there for the longest time. But as time wore on, the dreams never stopped. They only became more and more and now I was here. It was time to just face my fears, to face reality. This was a part of me. I wasn't sick; I didn't have some sort of disease. This was who I was and I needed to start embracing that.

"I knew those men were going to try and kill you." My eyes opened to meet his brilliant blue orbs. "They were going to attack you once you left with the silver chains they had in their bags. They were going to drag you behind the coffee shop and drain your blood to sell for money. They were going to leave you there for the sun to kill you."

I didn't blink, didn't have an intake of breath as I watched him, waiting for a reaction. His expression remained blank, though his eyes held the emotions playing inside of the vampire. He was confused, that was apparent. But the anger that I had once seen, had disappeared. After a moment, after his eyes searched over me, a hint of intrigue entering those blue orbs.

"Why did you stop it?" He asked so softly I had to take a double take to make sure he even spoke.

I was surprised he didn't question how I knew what those men were planning on doing. But instead, he simply wanted to know why I thought he deserved to live.

"Because no one deserves to be treated so horribly." I shrugged. "Not even a vampire, and especially not you."

"I've done many worse things to humankind in my days. For those crimes, I do deserve such treatment."

"And I cheated on a spelling test in the fifth grade. That doesn't mean I should be executed for it." I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets. "What may have happened in the past doesn't dictate who you are now."

"And you think you know who I am now? We have never met before."

I decided to put off explaining about my dreams as long as possible and went for a different approach. I just could not understand why he thought he deserved to die. Yes, there was a brief moment I myself was scared of him, but that was mostly my own mind playing tricks on me and being a bit overdramatic. I doubt he would truly rip my head off or drain me of every drop of blood.

"You're not a monster."

"I'm a vampire." He insisted.

"Sure, but that doesn't automatically categorize you as a monster." I pointed out.

"I've done many horrible things."

"So have humans. Hitler killed thousands of people just because of their religion. He was a monster. So you've killed some people, that was out of survival."

"Not all the time." He looked away, the sadness returning to the vampire's face.

"Maybe that was who you were years ago, but that's not who you are now." I took a tentative step forward. It was amazing how he could go from a ferocious vampire to looking like a sad puppy dog.

"And how would you know such things?" his head snapped back towards me. "How did you know the intentions of those men? How do you know who I am? If you are not a spy, than how do you know so much?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "That's a long story."

"One I would like to hear." His arms crossed and the sadness was suddenly masked. "You are correct; I am the Sheriff of this area. And as Sheriff, it is my duty to serve and protect the vampires residing under me. I have never met you before, nor do I have knowledge of you living in my area. You know information that you should not. Explain."

The muscles in my body tensed. Once again, he did a complete 180. I could see now why he had been chosen to become sheriff. He had moral dilemmas and a sadness I had never seen in an individual before. But that did not hinder the job that he bore. He was right; it was his job to ensure that there were no threats in his area. And here I was, knowing things a simple human shouldn't know, especially one who he had just only met last night in such haste.

"I will not ask you again." he moved so quickly I had to refocus my eyes in order to realize he was even closer than he had been before. If I rocked even the slightest, we would be touching. "If I do not receive answers I will assume you are a spy and will have to take matters into my own hands."

I gulped. I didn't like the sound of that.

"Okay, okay." My heart began to quicken. "I...I need personal space."

He took a small step back, though he was still closer than I would have liked.

"I-I had these dreams."

"Dreams?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Yes dreams."

"Of what?" he demanded to know. "What were these dreams of?"

A lump rose in my throat as my breathing began to match the pace of my racing heart. His urging and demands were beginning to shake me. It was hard enough to explain about when I had a level head; this wasn't helping anything at all. I closed my eyes tightly, counting to ten in my head as I tried to calm myself back down. I couldn't have a panic attack now. He was a sheriff first and foremost, and would care about the vampires that depended on him more than a mere human who knew too much. I needed to just tell him what he wanted to hear. Before I ended up with my head as some sort of wall ornament.

"My dreams...they were...the dreams...they..." I was hyperventilating now, not able to form a coherent sentence. I was sure my heart was going to jump right out of my chest, followed by the impending vomit that was rising up from the pit of my stomach. I was beginning to feel light headed and knew that I needed to sit down. This wasn't entirely unusual for me. I've had these panic attacks in the past, mostly always revolving around these damn dreams.

"Well?" his voice was cold and icy, a far cry from what I was so used to in my dreams.

"They were..." tears were popping into my eyes as I wrapped an arm around my stomach, willing myself to not throw up right then and there.

"You have five seconds to answer me."

"They were of you!" I finally blurted out. "All of them, for months, they've been of you!"


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two:**

Godric stared at me for the longest time, a blank look on his face. My stomach was churning, my heart continuing to race. I knew I needed to sit down as I began to grow light headed, and just plopped down right there in the light snow. My hand curled into the snow, the coolness of the white particles helping to cool down my heated face. I should have booted it, should have left when I had the chance. But I didn't. It wasn't like I could outrun a vampire anyways. So I just sat there, on my knees, in the snow, and watched him as he made sense of my exclamation.

"Explain." He prompted, his stare still intimidating.

I gulped as I bit down hard on my bottom lip. "I-I've had these...these dreams about...well about you."

My voice wavered as I spoke, and I just hoped he believed me. I almost wished he would grab me and glamour me, force me to tell the truth. At least then he would know that I was being honest and I wouldn't have to be put through this agonizing waiting game. What if he didn't believe me? What if he thought I was too suspicious? Would he kill me, would he drain ever drop of blood out of my body? Would I get a chance to see my parents again? They may not have been supportive, they may not have understood, but they were still my parents. I loved them and there were still so many things I wanted to tell them. I was eighteen, I couldn't die. Not like this. I couldn't let my parents get a phone call learning that not only had I ran away from school, but I had gotten myself killed doing so. And because of these dreams. They would be devastated and I couldn't do that to them. They tried, they really did. It was hard to have a daughter who was a freak. They did the best that they could, handle it in whatever sane way they possible could have. I didn't want to die now, by a vampire; by the same vampire I had insisted to my mother was real and not just a figment of my imagination. They would finally believe me at least, but at such a high cost.

"P-Please don't kill me." My plea was blurted out before I could think twice. A tear slipped down my cheek and I didn't even bother to wipe it away. I was too scared to move, to even blink or breathe. I didn't want to give Godric a reason to attack me.

A conflict of emotions played across his face, and I was almost confused by it. It was as if he was battling feeling pity for me, and trying to stand his ground. He was the sheriff after all, he needed to protect his area, protect his own kind from outsiders and potential threats. I couldn't blame him for that. I only hoped that he would spare me my life.

"Nonsense." He shook his head, his expression softening.

I wasn't sure what he meant by that, and instead just stayed there, sitting in the cold snow, another tear escaping down my cheek. I let out a squeak of surprise when he suddenly appeared before me, kneeling in front of where I sat. There was a look of curiosity on his face as he reached a hand up and brushed away the tears with his thumb. I was frozen as ice, not daring to move a single inch. The moment his thumb brushed against my skin, it felt like my skin was on fire. His touch was cold, almost as cold as the snow beneath me, and yet it felt so warm and inviting as the backs of his fingers caressed my cheek. I swallowed back the lump in my throat as I closed my eyes, partially to pray that this was all just a nightmare, while another part of me just relished in the touch and wished it would never stop. All good things come to an end however, and his hand left my cheek as quick as it had appeared. I almost felt saddened at the loss, wanting to grab out and take his hand in mine.

"What are you?" his voice was soft, but demanding, and jostled me out of my thoughts.

My eyes snapped open and were quickly met with his curious blue orbs. He was so close, so very close. Our noses were close to touching. I wanted to inch away from him, to gain some distance between us, but I was still frozen to the spot, unable to move.

"What are you?" he repeated.

"I-I don't...I don't know." I whispered so quietly I was sure he wouldn't have heard.

But he had. His head tilted to the side as his hand reached out to me, grasping my chin and turning my head from side to side. My breathing was rigid and I was sure that my heart was just going to stop at any moment.

"These dreams of yours," he began, his eyes searching my face. "They're of me?"

I couldn't speak and instead nodded in response.

"How long have you had them?"

I thought back to when the dreams first began, when my life began to take a complete turn as everything revolved around this vampire and the reasoning of the dreams. "F-four months."

Godric nodded, taking in this new piece of information. "What were these dreams of, besides me?"

I wasn't sure how to answer that. The dreams had been of...well everything. I told him this, in my wavering scared tone, and he offered a small smile in response.

"You aren't a spy, are you?" his lips were curled upwards.

I shook my head wildly, the only thing I could think of doing.

"No, you certainly don't look like a spy." There was a spark in his eyes. "It seems I've made a grave mistake, and I apologize for such."

I really wasn't sure what to say now. I had always been a shy girl growing up, but I would always have something to say. Words never usually tended to escape me. But with him, with Godric, I couldn't think of one coherent word to say. I was utterly speechless. And part of me was grateful. I was sure that if I spoke, I would only end up blurting out something else that I shouldn't. I had a habit of not thinking before I spoke, and in most cases, like tonight, it usually never ended well.

"You're hands." Godric's gaze was turned downwards to my hands still lying in the snow.

I had nearly forgotten about my numb hands, and glanced down at them myself. I was surprised to find them a dark shade of red and shivering, though I couldn't feel a thing. I jumped in surprise when Godric grasped my hands in his and lifted them out of the snow. My face heated up as he drew them up and attempted to bring warmth back to the frozen limbs. Of course, his own hands were naturally cold and didn't do much, but the act alone was enough to warm my entire body.

"You're cold." He mused as he continued to rub his hands over mine, circulating the heat.

I merely shrugged. It wasn't that cold, not compared to what I was used to in Ohio. Though sitting in snow was uncomfortable, I wasn't so sure I could keep myself standing on my own two feet. Godric however, was determined to get me on my feet, and before I even knew what was happening, an arm was latched around my waist and I was being lifted up. My eyes grew wide as I felt my feet touch the ground. We had moved so fast I didn't even have a time to blink and needed to do so a couple dozen times to refocus my eyes.

"I apologize for frightening you. It was never my intention to do so." His arm began to slide away from my waist. My hand had a mind of its own as it shot out and grabbed his arm, stopping him from doing so. I knew I wouldn't be able to hold myself up, my legs still felt like jelly. Godric must have understood this and nodded, keeping his arm firmly around me. "I merely wanted to thank you for saving my life last night, but I fear I've only made you regret ever doing so."

Such a saddened look crossed his face, matching the expression from earlier. It broke my heart to see him look so defeated. So much that all of the fear I once held, disappeared in an instant.

"I don't." I shook my head, finally finding the ability to speak. "I don't regret it."

"You should." He bowed his head in shame. "I reacted rashly. I only managed to frighten you."

"That doesn't mean you deserved to die in such a horrible way."

Godric was silent for a moment, and I wondered what could possibly be going through his head. Why was he so hopeless looking? It was like he no longer had a reason to go on, and that tore me apart to see.

"You are too kind." He raised his head, his eyes meeting mine. "I do not deserve your kindness. Not after what I've done. I'm truly sorry for frightening you tonight. If there was any way I can make it up to you..."

"Just don't move. My legs quite aren't able to support me yet." My lips slowly began to quirk upwards.

He simply nodded and we fell silent while just staring at one another. It was unnerving of course, to have those intense blue eyes staring down at me. I was only relieved to find that there was no malice, no anger or hate lying in those beautiful eyes any longer. Instead, there was only sadness and a hint of curiosity.

"Your dreams," he cocked his head to the side. "They were the reason you knew what those men would do it me?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes."

"Interesting." The curiosity in his eyes was beginning to slowly but surely edge out the sadness. I suppose it wasn't every day this vampire met someone who had dreams that happened to come true. "How do you know it would occur?"

"Truthfully? I didn't." I replied honestly. "I just had a gut feeling and I went with it. Turns out I was right, scarily enough. I actually think knowing that it came true scared me more than you did."

"Have you had other dreams like this?" He wondered.

"All my life." I nodded. "Ever since I was a little girl I knew something was different, I just never thought much of it. When I got into high school, that was when things changed. I tried to ignore them, and it worked for awhile. But then..."

I looked away as I trailed off, gaining Godric's attention. I felt a hand cup my cheek and turned my head back towards him. My cheeks must have been a bright red, and I was secretly glad that it was cold enough outside to mask my embarrassment.

"But then?" He encouraged with a small smile.

I melted at that smile. How could I not? I had only seen his genuine smile a handful of times. He was always just so sad all the time. But whenever he did smile, it lit up a room. And made my heart completely melt, and my legs feel even more like jelly than before. I had to shake my head and mentally slap myself to stay focused and remember what was going on around me besides that darn smile.

"But then I started having the dreams about you." I replied bluntly, staring him dead in the eye. "And they just felt different than all the others."

"How so?"

"I don't know." I pursed my lips, trying to figure out the best way to word it. "Have you ever had that feeling in your gut like something is wrong? There are just no words to describe it. You just..."

"Know." Godric finished, nodding his head in understanding.

"I just knew that there was a reason I was having these dreams. I've never had a dream about one person repeatedly. The entire four months every single one of my dreams was only been about you. That's never happened before. I figured that had to mean something." I shrugged. "And then that last dream, the one of you being killed by those men, it just kept happening over and over again. I couldn't just sit back and believe that you were a figment of my imagination."

"So you came here to simply save my life? To save a vampire?" he asked in disbelief.

"I've had dreams about you for four month, Godric." I spoke his name out loud for the second time, and genuinely enjoyed the way it just slipped off my tongue. "You aren't a normal vampire. You're someone worth saving."

He seemed shocked at that revelation. So shocked that his arm fell from my waist and he took a step back. Thankfully I was able to get my bearings, keeping myself supported on my own two feet as a mixture of emotions crossed his face. I wanted to reach out to him, to insist that he truly was someone worth saving, someone who didn't deserve such a gruesome death. But he turned his back to me before I could.

"I must be going." his voice sounded strained. "I sincerely apologize for all that I've put you through this evening. I hope you can forgive me."

"Godric..." I tried to grab at his arm.

But he was gone in a blink of an eye, leaving me absolutely alone in the park. I sighed, glancing around hoping he was still nearby. He wasn't however, saddening me greatly. I hated to think that he didn't agree about his worth. He was such an important figure, someone who many looked up to, and he wasn't even happy. It was like he saw his life as meaningless, and it was anything but that.

"Well this has been an interesting night."

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a broad smile on my face. Despite the events of last night, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders, like I could continue on in my quest to seek out the answers I desired. I wasn't sure if I would see Godric again, if I would ever get another glimpse of the defeated vampire. But I was glad to have talked with him last night. He had frightened me, scared me out of my wits, but he had been the only person in the world I had actually talked to about my dreams. He didn't make me feel like a lunatic that needed to be committed. I didn't feel like a freak for the first time in a very long time, and that was the greatest feeling in the world.

I did hope, though, that I would see him again, that I would get another chance to see those blue eyes, that contagious smile. I knew the odds were slim, that Dallas was a large city and the chances of bumping into him were unlikely. But a part of me hoped that destiny would fall into play and I would see him before I left, whenever I decided that would be.

I never thought of a time frame when I had left college. All I knew was that I had to come here to save Godric. Now that I have, now that I've come face to face with him, I wasn't so sure what to do now. I could go back; I could rejoin the life that I should have been living. But I truthfully didn't want to. I didn't want to go back to pretending nothing was wrong, that I didn't have mysterious dreams every time I closed my eyes. I was so tired of hiding who I truly was. Being here, meeting Godric and talking with him, I felt more normal than I ever have. Just being here, in this city, I felt like I belonged here more than I've ever felt in Ohio and at home. I knew my parents would be livid, especially my uptight mother. And I knew eventually I would find my way back home and would receive the lecture of a lifetime. But for now, I was going to milk this up, enjoy whatever time I could have here. Sooner or later reality was going to catch up to me, and I was desperately hoping it was the latter.

I spent the day in my hotel room, ordering room service and spending much needed 'me' time. For the first time in my life, I wasn't stressed, I wasn't worried about being laughed at by my classmates. I didn't fear my mother yelling at me, wishing I was like all the other girls my age, and was actually able to just enjoy life. There wasn't a single worry in the world, and I wanted to soak that up. There was a feeling deep inside of my gut that told me things wouldn't stay this way, though I didn't understand why. I wanted as much of a normal life as I could get, at least for a few days, before I was forced back into the real world.

Unfortunately, it seemed to be much too soon for my liking. As I was about to venture out of the hotel room in search of some fresh air in the cool Dallas evening, my cell phone began ringing. I knew immediately who it was, and fought internally with myself whether I should pick it up or not. Eventually, the rational side of me won, knowing that if I didn't at least say hi, my parents would think I was lying dead in a ditch somewhere. Maybe I could just get the yelling and lectures out of the way now.

"Hello mother." I sat on the edge of my bed, biting my nails nervously.

"Where in the world have you been!" was the first thing out of my mother's mouth. "Your father and I have been worried sick!"

"I'm sorry mother." I sighed.

"You're sorry? We thought you were dead!" she shrilled. "We get a call from your friends, saying you've run off somewhere in the middle of the night!"

"I know mother, I'm sorry. There was just something that I needed to do."

"You will come straight home right this instant." she demanded.

"I can't do that."

"You will. And you will go straight to school and apologize to your professors. It's the beginning of the semester, do you know what this could do to your GPA?"

I rolled my eyes. My mother was only worried that I would make her look bad. She couldn't have her child do horribly in school; she couldn't have them drop out mysteriously. No, I needed to be the perfect cookie cutter daughter. But I couldn't do that for her. I desperately wished that I could be, god knows that I do. But it wasn't possible. I was born with these dreams, and I now know for a fact that there was a reason for them. I wasn't sure what exactly, but by coming here, I knew there was a greater path for me in life than to just study some useless subject in school.

"Do you hear me, young lady? You will get on a plane tomorrow morning and you will come home." She ordered.

"No."

"Excuse me?" she sounded appalled.

"You heard me mother." I pursed my lips. "I'm not going home. Not yet."

"You will come home right now, Taylor Anne!" her voice was rising with every word. "I will come there and drag you home myself if need be."

"I'm sorry, I really am. I never meant to scare you or dad. But I need to do some things. I'll come home eventually. Just not right now."

"Taylor!"

"You don't know where I am, mom. I've paid for everything with cash, you can't track me. I love you, and I'm safe. I'll be home soon." I assured her. "Tell dad I love him."

"Do not hang up, Taylor. I'm serious, come home."

"I'll see you soon."

I didn't hear another word from my mother as I quickly drew the phone away from my ear and tossed it across the bed. I closed my eyes tightly as tears popped into them, my teeth gritting together as I tried to calm myself down. I hated knowing that I was hurting my parents. Deep down inside, I know my mother was only worried about me. But this was something that I needed to do. I was only 18, but I needed to understand who I was, what I was. Maybe I wouldn't find those answers here. But I had to try. At the end of the day, that's all that mattered. My parents wouldn't understand, and I knew they would be angry for a long time. But this wasn't about this. This was about me. And it had to be done, whether they liked it or not.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three:**

There's nothing like lying completely awake in the middle of the night with absolutely no hope in hell of falling asleep. I spent hours after my mother called trying to get some sleep so I could start fresh the next day. But as the clocked ticked from one minute to the next and still my eyes were wide open, I knew it was hopeless. All I wanted was to forget about the phone call from my mother. I was an idiot to think that we could ever have a civil conversation. We hadn't been able to talk to one another in years, not since I was a little kid. And even back then, it was never about anything serious. She only enjoyed controlling my life, to ensure that she had the perfect daughter. Things only got more strained when I turned out to be the talk of the town, and not for a good reason. But I couldn't help who I was, who I had become. It wasn't like I chose this. At least my father kept out of it all, pretending everything was perfectly alright. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, wishing I had someone to talk to about all of this. But at least my father never judged me, never turned his back on me. I knew that if I really did need a shoulder to cry on, he would be there in a heartbeat.

"This is ridiculous." I muttered as I threw the covers back and climbed out of bed.

There was no way I was going to fall asleep, not anytime soon anyways. So I may as well find something to do. I glanced around the hotel room, my eyes catching sight of the TV. I didn't bother turning it on however, knowing that nothing but infomercials would be on at this time. Sighing, I moved my gaze towards the door, remembering that I never did get a chance to take a walk before my mother called. I knew it would be risky to go out walking at this time of night. Even the partiers would be making their way home for their long nights of sitting by the toilet with a bottle of water at their side. And god knows there were vampires roaming about, most not as kind as Godric was. But I just couldn't stay locked up in my hotel room. I needed to clear my head, to get my mother's nagging voice out of it. And that was only going to happen if I got out of this room, even just for a little while.

Before I could talk myself out of it, I grabbed my jacket and left the room. As I made my way down into the lobby, I caught the eye of the overnight manager and he smiled warmly, though I was sure he was wondering where I was about to run off to in the middle of the night. The great thing however, was that he didn't even think about asking. I offered a smile in return before slipping out into the cool night, pulling my jacket tighter around me. I glanced around, contemplating where to go, when I just shrugged and turned to my right. It wasn't like I had a destination. I just needed some time alone.

I wasn't exactly sure how long I ended up walking around. I lost track of time the moment I stepped out of the hotel and I didn't exactly care either. Despite the fact that it was much cooler out than I was expecting, I could have stayed out there for the rest of the night, walking aimlessly and not thinking about anything in particular. It was actually nice to walk around Dallas without all the crowds and noise. Hardly any cars passed, and pedestrians were just as rare. Lights in store windows were turned off, only the dim street lamps lighting the roads.

I tried my best to keep my thoughts off of my mother, but inevitably, it always went back to her. I wondered for a moment, what she would say if she found out the boy in my dreams was actually a vampire. I knew firsthand how she felt about vampires. I still remember the night the vampires had 'come out of the coffin'. It was one night after my mother was picking me up from school late and we had to drop by the supermarket to grab something for dinner. When we were at the checkout, a breaking news report came on and the entire store shushed for the great announcement. There had been shrieks of terror, whispers of curiosity when Vampires had appeared before our very eyes on the television. In my little neck of the woods, most were judgemental and thought down on the vampires. Not that we had any resident vampires anyways, what worldly creature would want to hang out in a small hick Ohio town? But that still didn't mean they needed to be hated by my fellow residents who didn't know a thing about them. But that was what hate was, wasn't it? It was blind judgement, fear of something unknown. I just couldn't see it the same way as my mother did. She would always lecture me about being out past dusk, something I would only roll my eyes at. These vampires were people once, just like us. Some of them had families, some of them were just as young as I am, or even younger. Like Godric.

"Godric..." I whispered to myself as I thought of the boyish appearance of the vampire. He looked my age, if not younger. I wondered what age he had been when he was turned and how long ago that even was. I could tell by the power and authority he had in my dreams that he was an old vampire, many centuries old I was guessing. But how old was that? I couldn't imagine living through history like he and many other vampires had. Watching the world, and people even, evolve around you, it must have been exciting and terrifying at the same time.

Then again, vampires didn't exactly have frustrating mothers to deal with.

With that thought, I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I wished so badly that my mother would just approve of who I was. I shouldn't have cared, and I always told myself that I didn't. But I knew that was a lie. What daughter didn't care what her parents thought deep down inside? I wanted them to love me and be proud of who I was and what I was doing. I just didn't see my mother ever being proud to call me her daughter, and that killed me. I really did want to be the daughter she always wanted, I just didn't know how to change who I was, or if I was even able to.

I was so deep in thought that I never realized I had taken a step off of the curb to cross the street without even looking until it was too late. I never noticed the drunken driver racing towards me until it was mere feet from hitting me. I opened my mouth to scream, but it never left my mouth as an arm suddenly wrapped around my waist and I was yanked back onto the sidewalk. I did however, yelp in surprise, my eyes wide as the car sped around the corner and out of sight, not caring at all that they always had a victim on their hands. I felt shell shocked. My life was seconds away from coming to an end, or at least spending many days in a hospital bed. I was mildly disappointed that I didn't see my life flash before my eyes, but quickly forgot about that when I remembered that my life had been saved by the individual whose arm was still tightly wrapped around my waist.

Laying a hand on top of my heart in an attempt to calm it down, I moved myself under the grip of my saviour and gasped when I turned and saw who had swooped in and saved my life.

"Godric?" My mouth hung open, my eyes opening even wider.

"Are you alright?" His eyes searched my face before roaming down my body as if searching for any possible injury."

"Yeah I'm..." I let out a breath I never knew I had held in. "I'm fine. Thanks to you."

"You're not hurt?" His blue orbs met mine in concern.

"I'm alright." I assured him, glancing over my shoulder to where I could have been lying dead only moments ago. "You saved my life."

"You weren't paying attention."

"I was lost in thought. Stupid, I know." I sighed as I realized just how close we were. I let out a small cough, alerting Godric to this and soon his arm was back at his side and he was taking a step back.

"I'm glad you're alright."

I gazed up at him and noticed the look of sadness that had swept across his features, replacing the worry that was once there.

"Thank you, Godric. Really. That would have been rather messy if you hadn't shown up. Especially with the whole, me being dead thing." I bit down on my bottom lip as I fidgeted with my hands. "So thank you."

"It's the least I can do." Godric nodded curtly.

"Guess we're even now, huh?" I offered a small smile. "I saved you, you saved me."

"Yes, I suppose so." Godric looked away. "You should not be wandering about alone at this hour."

"Needed to clear my head." I shrugged. "Not get my head scrambled though by a drunk driver. I really do owe you."

"You do not." He shook his head. "You had the kindness to save my life when many would not have. It is the least I can do to show you that same kindness."

"Even after the whole, I know more things than I should, thing?" I nervously brought up the previous night, wishing Godric would look at me once again. I could stare into those eyes for hours and not get bored. It was like I was staring history in the face, and that truly was exciting.

I was delighted when he did turn his attention back on me, his gaze catching mine. "You're unique dreams are a gift. And you do not appear to be a threat to my area."

"I wouldn't exactly call them a gift." I snorted.

Godric cocked his head to the side, staring down at me with curious eyes. "You have visions of the future, that is a very rare and powerful gift that you should not be ashamed of."

"Maybe in your world its okay to have strange things happen to you that you can't explain. But not in mine." I replied honestly.

"You should embrace the gifts you were born with, not wish them away. You were chosen for more, that too is a gift. One you should cherish."

I was the one to look away this time, unsure of what to say. I thought about his words and wasn't so sure if I believed them or not. Sure, I may have saved a life the other night, his life to be exact. But what did these dreams all mean? What was the point of having them if they were only going to make my life complicated? I didn't even understand why I was having them, why I was the one chosen. I didn't want to be different, or unique. I wanted to be normal. I wanted to be accepted by my friends and family. I wanted to have a family damnit! Because right now, I didn't have one. I had a mother who wished I was someone else, and a father who didn't want to cause an uproar and pretended nothing was out of the ordinary. Nothing about that screamed family. And it was all because of these dreams.

"I've upset you." Godric's voice broke through my thoughts. "I apologize."

"No." I shook my head with a loud sigh. "I was just...thinking."

"Perhaps you've done enough thinking for one night, considering." He nodded behind me at the street where I had almost been killed.

"Yeah well..." I trailed off.

We stood there a moment in silence, neither of us speaking a word. Finally, Godric spoke in a soft voice, telling me goodnight and turned away. I should have let him walk away and be done with it. But I just couldn't. I had hoped I would run into him again. Of course, I didn't exactly imagine it happening like this, but he was here wasn't he? Did I really want to risk not seeing him again?

"Wait!" I called out to him before he could zip away.

Godric stopped, though he kept his back to me.

"I didn't think I would see you again." I stuffed my hands into my jacket pockets.

"I never intended for us to meet again." He admitted, slowly turning back around, his eyes gazing down at the ground.

I felt a pang in my heart at that statement. I tried my best to mask the hurt and took a step forward.

"I'm glad you happened to be in the right place at the right time though. One, if you hadn't of been, I would probably be dead at the moment. And two...well I just really wanted to see you again." I wasn't sure how he would react to my last comment. But I wasn't about to lie to him. I ended up being honest with him last night about the dreams and what I knew. What was the point of lying to him now? And anyways, he could just do that nifty trick and find out the truth whenever he pleased.

When Godric's eyes rose up to meet mine this time, I was almost knocked over at the sadness hiding behind those captivating orbs. Part of me just wanted to walk up to him and give him a hug. He looked so sad and I just didn't know why. He was a stranger, and I hardly knew him, not to mention he's a vampire of all things, and yet I didn't want to see that look on his face. I wanted to see the smile that I rarely saw in my dreams, the smile that was so genuine and, to be honest, beautiful. I wished I could ask him why he was so sad, why he didn't see his own worth. But I knew that I couldn't. It wasn't my place. I may have had a glimpse into his life for four months, but he hardly knew a thing about me besides the fact that I had odd dreams that ended up coming true.

"You should be afraid of me, not saving my life and conversing with me." His voice was barely above a whisper.

"You're not all that scary." I shrugged. And I really meant that. Sure, there were those few moments last night when he was a tad scary. But I don't think I truly feared him for what he was. He just surprised me, caught me off guard. I don't think I ever could be afraid of Godric. He was just too...good. He may not see that, and he most definitely didn't believe it, but it was true. I just wondered if I had enough time here in Dallas to help him believe that.

"I am."

"You just think you are. But if you were really just a monster, you wouldn't have saved my life five minutes ago." I pointed out. "But you did. I would be dead right now if it weren't for you. So no, I'm not scared of you. And don't think for a minute you can pull what you did last night. Nothing you say or try to do will make me fear you."

The way he was staring at me was unnerving. I wanted to look away, maybe even turn and run purely because I was beginning to feel awkward. But I didn't. I stood there and stared him dead in the eye, hoping that he would believe me. Or maybe just humour me for the time being.

"I should walk you back to where you are staying. It's not safe for you out here alone." His expression turned blank, as if he didn't want to feel whatever emotion was possibly surging through him.

I sighed but nodded. At least it would be some time I could spend with him.

"I don't exactly where how I got here." I admitted with a smile.

"Carelessly walking?" there was the tiniest quirk of his lips, only causing my smile to grow.

"Something like that." I chuckled. "I don't even remember the name of it. It's somewhat tall, and on...such and such street?"

"You're an odd little thing." He spoke more to himself than to me.

"My mother would prefer freak, but odd works too." I mumbled as we slowly began to walk back the way I thought I remembered coming from.

Godric stared straight ahead, and from a glance in his direction, I could see he was thinking about what I had just said. I opened my mouth to speak again, but decided against it, allowing for us to fall into a comfortable silence. We would stop every so often, me trying to get my bearings. Dallas was a lot different than my little corner of the world in Ohio. I could walk through my town with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back. Dallas however, I couldn't even remember where my damn hotel was. I felt embarrassed even, as Godric and I walked. He was this ancient vampire who sounded wise beyond my comprehending years, and I was just some silly farm girl. I fidgeted as we walked, wishing now that I hadn't left the hotel after all. While I wanted to see Godric again, I wasn't exactly jumping in joy at the fact that our meeting occurred because I was too lost in thought to realize a drunken driver was about to run me over. I didn't want to seem like a typical pathetic teenage girl to him. I don't know why it mattered. Eventually I would pick everything up and head on back to reality and never see Godric again in my life. But for some reason, it did matter. He mattered. I wish I knew why I was drawn to this vampire, why I was having dreams about him. It had to mean something, right? It couldn't just be one big coincidence, could it?

"You're deep in thought once again."

"Hm?" I had to blink to focus back on the present. My cheeks heated up as I stared down at the sidewalk, ensuring I didn't end up tripping. "Oh, sorry."

"Never apologize for your thoughts, Taylor."

My cheeks burned even worse as he said my name. I wasn't sure if he remembered it, considering I had blurted it out while being interrogated last night. I couldn't help the flutter of my heart as my name slipped off his tongue so naturally.

"What were you so deep in thought about?" He asked curiously.

"Just...thinking about why I was having dreams about a vampire I've never met before." I snuck a glance up at him.

He nodded but didn't say a word as we continued walking. Thankfully, we managed to find my hotel without getting further lost, thought part of me was sad to say goodbye to Godric. It was obvious that he had never intended on seeing me again, and truthfully that did hurt. But then again, it wasn't like I was anything more than a mere stranger to him who happened to save his life and have an odd ability. I'm sure if I were in his shoes, I would feel the same way. But I wasn't in his shoes, I was in mine, and I wanted to know as much as I possibly could about him. I've had dreams for months concerning him, and yet there were just so many other things I wanted to know. The sad thing was, he was the most real thing in my life right now, and up to a few nights ago, I didn't even know if he was actually real or not.

"I do hope you continue to watch where you are going. It would a terrible loss for your gifts to go to waste." His eyes bore right through me as we stood outside the hotel.

"I'll try my best." I bit my bottom lip and gazed up at my hotel. "I er...I guess this is..."

I just couldn't say it though. I didn't want this to be goodbye. Why should it be anyways? It wasn't his decision. I could very well attempt to stalk him the rest of my time here. Why did he have to decide if this was our last time ever seeing one another again?

"I want to see you again." I stated confidently, looking him straight in the eye.

Godric looked taken back at my abrupt statement.

"You're the first person to not make me feel like a complete lunatic." I admitted, allowing the pain throughout the years to show in my expression. "I've kept this part of me locked up so tight my entire life and I'm...I don't want to do that anymore. You're the first person to ever make me feel...normal."

I felt embarrassed at just blurting out how I felt and let my gaze fall to the ground. However, a finger slipped under my chin only moments later, lifting my gaze back up to meet his.

"You are a magnificent girl, Taylor." His soft voice made me want to melt. "You should never allow another being to make you feel otherwise. You're gifts are..."

"Horrible." I muttered.

Godric shook his head. "Truly amazing. There are only a handful of others out there like you. It's a powerful gift to be able to envision the future."

"Others out there?" My eyes brightened. I wasn't the only one? I wasn't alone? "There's others...like me?"

"Yes." He nodded with a small smile. "I've meet a few over the many centuries I've walked this earth."

"Really?" I almost wanted to cry, but forced myself not to. Not in front of Godric anyways. I was just so relieved to know that I wasn't alone, that somewhere out there, there were others like me. I wasn't just some defective human. I was just one of many who had this gift. That was the greatest gift I could ever be given, to know for the first time in my life, that I wasn't alone. "Do you...do you know what I am?"

"Perhaps we should sit." He motioned towards the bench a few feet away.

I didn't even respond as I eagerly hurried over to the bench and sat. I nearly screamed out in surprise when Godric sat beside me quicker than a single blink. My mouth dropped open and I quickly shut it as I tried to compose myself.

"After I left you last night, I found myself intrigued by your gifts." Godric explained. "I searched through my many life journals, through the many finds from my journeys over time, and I came across another like you."

I nodded for him to continue, not able to speak a word. I was too caught up in his words to even think about speaking.

"She too had dreams that would occur." Godric continued. "Unlike you, however, she knew what she was, and was actually trained by another."

I was awed. He had met someone else with the exact gift as mine? This meant he did in fact know what I was. I've been waiting for this moment for the better part of my life. All I wanted more than anything in the world was to have answers, to know what I was and why I had these dreams. And here I was, just like I expected, finally getting my answers and by this vampire. I couldn't have been happier.

"The one training her, she saw the future through different means. When she touched an object or a person, she would receive a premonition." Godric gazed down at me, silently asking if I understood. I nodded for him to continue, having a slight idea of what he was saying. "When I conversed with them, learnt of what they could do, I discovered what they were."

"And?" I urged on.

A ghost of a smile graced his lips at my eagerness. "They were Seers."

"Seers?" I raised an eyebrow. "I don't understand."

"Seers have the ability to tap into the future, to see what will occur before it actually happens."

"That's what I can do." I frowned. "So does that mean..."

"Yes." Godric nodded. "You're a seer. There are other means of seeing the future, you're just happens to be through dreams."

"Like the girl you met." I sat back, feeling partially overjoyed that I finally knew what I was, and still a bit confused.

"Indeed. There are others of you out there, but it is a very complex and unique gift to possess. It is not common, not in the least. You truly are a rare treasure, Taylor, not a freak like you may believe."

The moment I looked into his eyes, and saw the genuine sincerity laying in those blue orbs, I couldn't stop myself as I threw my arms around him. I was sure I was only embarrassing myself further, but I couldn't help it. This vampire just told me what I wanted to hear for so long. I had wasted so many years fretting over this, thinking I was a freak. So to be told that I wasn't alone in this, that there were others out there, other seers to be exact, I was the happiest I could possibly be. There were so many other questions I wanted to ask, but they just didn't matter at the moment. I knew what I was now, something I almost thought was impossible to find out.

"Thank you." I whispered, thought it was muffled as I dug my head into his chest.

Godric was silent for a moment, his body tense as I embraced him. I realized that he was uncomfortable, and was about to pull away when his own arms circled around me, one hand lightly running up my back. I shuddered at the touch, and only melted into him further.

"You're welcome, little seer." His breath met my ear, sending a chill up my spine.

A seer. I was a seer. I was something besides a freak and an abomination. It felt like the weight of the world had finally lifted off my shoulders. I wasn't just some disappointment. I was something, something rare and important. That meant everything to me.

* * *

**A/N:** the glee version of don't stop believing came on as I was finishing this chapter off and I thought it was a bit ironic considering Taylor finds out what she is after all this time wondering. thanks for everyone who was patient with me. I've been stuck with this story, just now got my inspiration back. I do promise a very crazy and awesome ride. starting in the next chapter. I know nothing really exciting happened. but Godric and Taylor's relationship is growing, and that is important. I do promise drama and craziness in the next chapter though, so prepare yourself!


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four:**

"I'm a complete idiot." I muttered, mentally slapping myself.

What was I thinking hugging a vampire?

That's right, I wasn't thinking. I just let my emotions take hold of me and I forgot all common sense. I actually hugged Godric. He didn't exactly seem like the touchy feely kind of person, and I just went ahead and hugged him. I really had to be an idiot. What in the world was I thinking? It had to be the worst decision of my life. I should have just walked away before I could say or do anything embarrassing. But instead, I just went ahead and did that. At least I didn't end up crying in front of him. Then again, maybe that wouldn't have freaked him out as much as _hugging_ him did.

It had been days since I had seen Godric. Maybe it was just a coincidence that he just disappeared days after I hugged him, but as the days wore on, I was beginning to think that was just wishful thinking. I didn't want to believe it was because he wanted to keep his distance for any other reason. I didn't want to think that it was because of what I was that turned Godric away. No, I just kept thinking it was because of my stupidity.

For some reason, that made it feel a whole lot better.

"Such an idiot." I mumbled, stuffing my hands into my pockets as I walked along the sidewalk, wishing Godric would suddenly just appear and make all my worries vanish. But of course, that wouldn't exactly happen considering the sun was only now beginning to set. The sky was a sea of orange and pinks, setting a beautiful tone over the buildings I began to pass.

I looked around me and was awed from the corner I stood on. I spied a sign a few feet away, declaring that I was looking up at the University of Dallas, and was just amazed at the size and beauty of it. The college I attended wasn't exactly anything special. It was just a way to put some distance between my mother and I while still vying for her approval. But considering I had easily up and just left the school to come here, it was evident that the school didn't appeal to me. But this school, by what appeared before my eyes alone, looked huge. At least twice the size of my own former school, but still twice as beautiful. I couldn't stop the smile that crossed my lips as I decided to wander through the campus. It couldn't hurt to just take a look around. And it would certainly get my mind off of a certain dark haired vampire.

I lost track of time as I walked through the campus, my eyes lighting up at the different buildings and the beautiful landscape for a University stuck in the middle of the city. It was like it was its own little world, like the hectic lives and honking cars just a block away couldn't penetrate these grounds. It certainly was beautiful and peaceful.

I had been so deep in thought, just enjoying the time to myself, that I never realized that the sun had dipped below the horizon, that the campus had fallen to a silent hush. I never realized there was anyone else wandering around until I walked straight into what felt like a brick walk. I stumbled backwards and steadied myself before I fell on my ass. My cheeks were heating up as I looked to whoever I had bumped into, ready to apologize profusely. However, when I was met with two razor sharp fangs staring down at me, my heart just about stopped. I gulped and inched backwards, not liking the twisted smirk on this vampires face. He just stood there, staring down at me smugly. He was tall and looked like he had just stepped right out of an old western. He wore a black cowboy hat, only making him look more intimidating that he already appeared.

"Hello there, little lady." He had a thick southern accent and I wondered if that was just a facade, or if he was really from the south before he had been turned.

I opened my mouth to try and apologize for walking into him, hoping he would just leave me alone if I did, but I found I had no voice. I hadn't felt this terrified around Godric. He had always put me at ease. I didn't even feel like this when his eyes had narrowed and his voice grew into a low growl. But as this vampire stared down at me like I was a tasty piece of meat, I felt stone cold fear. Just the way he was eying my body, the way he licked his lips, I knew he was nothing like Godric. And that scared me. The only vampire I had ever met had been Godric. And while I knew not all vampires were like Godric, it was still hard to imagine such a difference between them.

And that's when I remembered one of my dreams. This vampire wasn't just any old vampire. As I stared at him long enough, I began to place his face from one of my dreams. He was a lieutenant to Godric, one of his underlings. While he had a high rank however, I knew from that dream that Godric didn't trust him nearly as much as the woman who seemed to be the one he learned on for support. In fact, in that dream, Godric had been reprimanding this vampire for feeding on an unwilling human.

And that just struck even more fear in me.

"You look mighty delicious." His eyes zoned in on my neck and I quickly pulled my hair over my shoulder to hide it from view. I didn't want him to get any ideas, though it seemed he already had.

"I...er...I don't want any trouble." My voice wavered as I took another step back.

The distance between us didn't matter however, as he appeared only an inch away from me in a flash. I let out a gasp of surprise, my eyes growing wide as my heart pounded against my chest. He must have known this because I heard an intake of breath before his hand raised up to brush the hair off of my shoulder. My eyes closed as I shook, praying that he would get distracted somehow and just disappear. But that didn't happen. He instead lowered his head down while I was frozen in fear. I wanted to be stronger, like I had been with Godric, but I just couldn't be. I was a seer, I wasn't some superhero.

"You're going to make a perfect little pet." He hissed into my ear, making me shudder as his fangs grazed across the curve of my neck.

My eyes were squeezed shut, bracing myself for what was to come next. This vampire was going to bite me and may or may not let me live. And I knew that if I did live from this attack, he would only try and glamour me to use me over and over again until he tired of me. I had heard of vampires taking 'pets', of using them for blood and sex before a majority of them were found dead in some ditch. I didn't want that to be my fate. It couldn't be.

"Stan!" a voice cut through the night, a voice all too familiar to the both of us.

The fangs of the vampire were pressing against my pulsing vein and I knew he was trying to press his luck, to see if he could at least get a taste. But before he could sink his fangs into me, he was suddenly yanked back by the cuff of his shirt. My eyes snapped open, my mouth dropping open as I watched Godric grip the vampire around the back of his neck, pulling him further away from me. He only went up to the vampire's shoulders, but that didn't matter. Godric was much older, and definitely a lot stronger. Size meant absolutely nothing.

"I was just messing around, Sheriff." Stan tried to brush the shorter vampire's grip away, but Godric held onto him tightly. "I wasn't going to do anything."

"You know my rules Stan, and yet you break them daily." Godric's lips were drawn into a thin line, his eyes boring right through Stan. "I've given you enough warnings, have I not?"

"Yes sheriff." Stan muttered, his head bowing. Though his eyes caught mine for a split second, and I could still see the hunger in those orbs.

I gulped and took a step back, in case he somehow got out of Godric's grasps. That only alerted Godric, and his head snapped in my direction.

"Are you harmed, Taylor?" he questioned, a line of worry on his forehead.

I shook my head, still unable to speak. I raised a hand to rub at where I nearly had been bitten, relief flooding through me. For a second time, Godric had come out of nowhere to save the day.

"I didn't know she was yours." Stan noticed the exchange between Godric and I. "I thought..."

"You thought wrong." Godric's attention was placed back on Stan, his eyes narrowing. "Should this happen again, Stan, I won't hesitate to find an appropriate punishment."

If it was possible, Stan's face paled even more than it already was. "Yes sir."

Godric was hesitant as first, but eventually freed Stan of his grasp. Stan rubbed the back of his neck for a moment, his eyes falling on me before suddenly disappearing.

"I apologize for him." Godric stepped forward, sadness in his eyes. "I fear not even I am able to control the urges of all the vampires in my area."

"You do a pretty good job." I shrugged with a tiny smile. "Thanks."

"Whatever for?" he looked confused.

"Saving my life."

"Stan would not have killed you." He shook his head.

"Maybe not, but I don't want to even think about what he could have done to me." I shuddered. "So thank you, really. That's twice now you've swooped in and save my life. I'm going to think your some sort of superhero soon."

Godric averted my gaze and my face fell. He still didn't understand that he was one of the good guys, that he was nothing like Stan and the other vampires like him. Godric was different, he was special. I just wish he could see that like I did when I hardly even knew him.

"You shouldn't be walking around alone at this time of night."

"It's not that late." I pointed out, shifting from one foot to another. I had been waiting until the next time we would meet, hoping for it actually. But I never expected just how awkward it would be.

I really shouldn't have hugged him.

"Perhaps I should walk you back to your hotel." Godric finally turned his gaze back on me.

I frowned at the look on his face. He looked so withdrawn, like he didn't even want to be around me. The sound of his voice told me that he didn't really want to walk me back to my hotel, and I wondered if it had been the hug that had upset this vampire or something else.

"I can find my own way back there." I crossed my arms. "When I want to."

Godric nodded. "Very well. Be careful, Taylor."

He turned and I knew he was just going to zip away. I probably should have just let him, but I couldn't help but feel a bit angry at how he was acting.

"Are you mad at me for hugging you?" I blurted out without a second thought.

Godric froze and for a minute, I thought he was just going to leave anyways. But after a moment, a sigh emitted from the vampire and he slowly turned around.

"Because I'm sorry about that. I wasn't really thinking. When I get emotional I just get a bit...well idiotic I guess. And I was just so happy to actually know I wasn't some diseased human being that I just got too carried away." I rambled on, nervously fidgeting with my hands.

Godric just stood there staring at me for the longest time, and I almost turned around and hurried away myself. But then the oddest thing happened; Godric smiled. Maybe it wasn't a complete smile, but there was certainly something that resembled a smile on those lips of his.

"I forget sometimes that human are...much different than vampires." He admitted. "I'm not used to humans so freely touching me."

"I'm sorry." I ducked my head, feeling like a complete idiot.

"Don't be, little seer." I felt a whoosh of air before my chin was clasped and lifted so I was staring into those pools of blue. I realized just how close we were, and my cheeks grew a light pink. "I'm not angry with you, quite the opposite."

"I don't understand." My eyebrows furrowed.

"I wanted to keep my distance, for your own safety." Godric sighed, his fingers lightly dancing over my cheek, causing my skin to tingle. "But I just find you so fascinating."

"Me?" I squeaked, my face heating up at the comment.

"It's been centuries since I met another like you." The smile on his face grew just a touch. "But you...you smell different than what I remember."

"I smell?"

He chuckled and it was like music to my ears. "You smell like nothing I've ever smelt before. Like forbidden fruit."

"O-oh." My heart was pounding again at the closeness of a vampire. But it was beating in such a different manner with Godric than when Stan was trying to attack me.

"But it seems that I just cannot stay away from you." He tilted his head to the side, his eyes boring straight down at me, captivating me completely.

"T-thats good." I nodded numbly, my eyes never leaving his. I just couldn't look away, couldn't move a muscle. I wasn't even sure I blinked as his fingers trailed down my cheek, across my jaw as light as a feather, and down to where Stan had almost bitten me. I felt a chill run up my spine at his touch, my body almost shaking. But not in terror like earlier, but by a desire that had been sprung free of its cage, a desire I never knew I had.

I was only 18 years old. I was a freshman in college, barely even old enough to vote in the country. I wasn't like the other girls had been in high school, or even the first week of college. I didn't experiment, I didn't get involved. It was just easier that way. I had been so afraid in high school that I would blurt something out that I shouldn't have from a dream, that I kept myself withdrawn. And that included from boys as well. I threw myself into my schoolwork and barely gave them even a glance. I knew they were there, and there were a few that I wished I had the courage to walk up to and just talk with. But I just never did, and it transferred over into college. When my dorm mate and her friends had tried to drag me out to the campus pub, and even shoving a fake ID into my hand to go to a bar, I just kept to myself and never bothered with anyone. I had never dated a single guy, never held their hands, and certainly hadn't kissed anyone. So being so close to Godric, feelings all of these desires and sensations that I had never felt before in my life, it was a bit intimidating. He didn't scare me because of what he was, but instead, how sure of himself he was.

"You're shaking." Godric frowned, his hand suddenly ripping away from me and leaving me yearning for his touch. "I'm frightening you."

"No." I shook my head, my eyes growing even wider. "You're not."

He nodded but the frown was still on his face as he took a step away from me. "I've lost track of time, I should go."

"Oh, okay." I couldn't help the look of disappointment that crossed my face.

He must have noticed the look as he offered a small smile. "Don't fret, little seer, we'll meet again soon enough."

Hope swept across my eyes. "Really? You mean I didn't completely scare you off with that hug?"

"Not at all." His smile grew. "You scare me in many other ways, but that embrace did not frighten me."

I thought my face was just going to melt off at how heated it felt. It was like someone was pointing a bright light on my face. I hope he didn't notice it, that would only further embarrass me.

"I have something I would like to give you, in fact."

"Really?" I perked up.

He nodded. "Perhaps the next time we meet. Which is very soon I hope."

"Me too." I nodded with a smile of my own. "Thank you again for..."

"Don't mention it. Stan should not be running around and acting the way he does." Godric scowled at the mention of Stan, as if he had been a pain in the ass for far too long.

"He was in one of my dreams once." I admitted, sparking Godric's interest. "You were reprimanding him for doing the exact same thing he was going to do to me."

"He doesn't listen very well." Godric shook his head with a sigh.

"That's not your fault though." I pointed out, knowing that he probably blamed himself. "Some people just can't change."

"I'm afraid your right." His eyes looked at me so intensely that my heart began fluttering. "I really must be going though; I have some business that needs tending to."

"Of course." I nodded. "I'm sorry I took up so much of your time."

"Don't be sorry. I enjoy our meetings, perhaps a bit too much." There was a spark in his blue eyes that I had never seen before, not even in my dreams. "Do you think you can manage to get back to your hotel without finding anymore trouble tonight?"

"Probably not, but I'll work on it." I laughed lightly. "I think I have a thrill for near death experiences."

"We'll need to change that."

I couldn't stop myself from grinning from ear to ear as Godric just vanished into thin air. The smile didn't fade at all as I found myself walking aimlessly around the campus before making my way back to the hotel. I had nearly lost my life tonight, and yet I couldn't stop smiling. There was just something about Godric that I couldn't my finger on. He just made me want to smile. He made me have hope, about myself, and about the future. I hadn't felt this way in the longest time, if ever. I knew there had been a reason I had stuck around Dallas, and why I didn't have any desire to return home anytime soon. As long as Godric was still around, I may just never find my way back home. Why would I when I had the most intriguing and fascinating vampire at my disposal. He knew what I was, knew more about it than probably anyone possibly could. I wanted to forever pick his brain, to know everything that I could.

And that smile. I just wanted to see that smile every single day for the rest of my life. That would make me the happiest girl alive and I didn't even understand why. I hardly knew this vampire, just what I knew from my dreams. But for some reason, I felt like I knew enough, like while there were still so many questions unanswered, I didn't need to know anything else to make an opinion about Godric. He was perfect in every single way; he just needed to realize that himself. Because I certainly saw it, and it was just one of many reasons that I couldn't wait to see him again.


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five:**

"Guess this was going to happen eventually." I grumbled to myself as I pulled myself off of the ground of my hotel room and kicked at the empty suitcase on the ground.

I had kept my supply of money I had taken out in Ohio safely inside of that suitcase so I would be able to avoid using any credit cards. I knew the moment I charged anything, my mother would come screaming to try and drag me back home. So I made sure at the very beginning to have enough money to get me through at least a week or two. But it seemed now I had run out. I was staying in Dallas a lot longer than I originally had expected, and that was showing on my expenses. I had almost wiped my entire bank account cleaned of the money I had earned by working during high school, and it looked like the only way to keep myself from finding my way onto the streets, was to pull out the dreaded credit card. I could just imagine my mother knocking down the hotel door in a few days, and I was not looking forward to it at all. But I was down to my last resort, and there was absolutely no way I was going to call home for money, not at all.

Shaking my head with a sigh, I grabbed my wallet and cell phone and begrudgingly made my way down to the lobby to pay for the room for the weekend.

"Good evening, Ms. Edwards." The front desk assistant manager smiled warmly at me as I made my way over from the elevators.

"Hi." I returned the smile. "I was hoping to pay for this weekend."

"Cash?" the woman guessed.

"Credit card actually." I slipped the card out of my wallet and handed it over.

"Of course, just one moment." She nodded before typing away on her computer.

I kept myself busy by gazing around at the few guests coming and going. I half noticed the woman slide the card of the counter to swipe it, my eyes still dancing around the room.

"I'm sorry Ms. Edwards, but your card has been declined."

My head snapped around to the woman, my eyes growing wide. "What? That must be a mistake."

"Let me try it again."

I watched closely this time as she swiped the credit card through the machine, her frown deepening as she did so. The blood washed from my face as my heart dropped. My card was declined? How was that possible? I had hardly used the credit card since I got it only six months ago. I kept up with my payments when I did charge anything to it, so what could the problem be?

"I'm sorry, it's still saying declined." She handed the card back to me.

"This has to be a mistake." I shook my head.

"Why don't you call the credit card company." She suggested. "You're paid up until tomorrow."

I nodded and gathered up my wallet and cell phone before slowly making my way out of the hotel. I dialled the number for the company, gripping onto the card as if my life depended on it. And it just might. I didn't know what I was going to do if I couldn't use my credit card. How was I supposed to get home? I had only bought a one way ticket to Dallas, and had spent almost all of my money in my bank account. Without my credit card I was broke, and that wasn't exactly a good thing when I was hundreds of miles from anyone who could help me.

I didn't pay any attention as I talked with the company, trying to understand what was wrong with the card. I bumped into a few poor guests who were trying to get into the hotel, and sent them all rushed apologizes as I began pacing in front of the hotel. This couldn't be happening, this just couldn't be happening.

"What do you mean my card has been terminated?" I froze to the spot. "That's impossible; I still have money left on the card!"

"_I'm sorry ma'am, but my records show your account with us has been terminated immediately."_

"No, no, no, this is a mistake." I was gripping the card so tightly, it was beginning to cut into the palm of my hand. "Why would I terminate my own account? That's ridiculous. Something has to be wrong."

"_I'm sorry ma'am, there isn't anything I can do unless you would like to sign up for a new account."_

"Oh forget this." I grumbled, hanging up on the attendant angrily. I groaned as I realized what this meant. I was stuck in Dallas without a penny to my name. What was I going to do? I didn't know really anyone here. The only other option was to call home and...

And that's when it hit me.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." I spun around to throw the credit card into the trash can, the card having no worth any longer, but was only startled by a form standing directly behind me. I jumped nearly a foot into the air, my heart pounding in my chest as I stared at Godric in shock. "Holy crap, Godric, you scared the living daylights out of me!"

"My apologies." He took a step back, a frown on his face as his eyes searched my face. "You're upset, should I leave?"

"What? Oh no, don't." I shook my head. "Sorry, you just scared me."

"Is everything alright?" he asked worriedly.

"Everything is just...oh just give me a minute." I glared down at my phone before I began pressing the familiar numbers in so hard I was sure I was going to break it. I angrily began pacing again, not caring that I was in the way for anyone coming or go. I was too livid to care about anything else.

"_Hello?"_

"You're unbelievable, you know that Mother?" I spat into the phone the moment my mother picked up.

"_What is it this time, Taylor? Are you ready to end this little game and come home?"_

"How could you just terminate my own credit card account!" I threw my arms up in the air. "That's my account, mother, that's my money and my responsibility. You don't have the right to do that!"

"_I do have a right as your mother. You're being irresponsible right now, Taylor. You just ran off and refuse to come home to your father and me."_

"So you make sure that I go broke and end up on the streets? What the hell is wrong with you!" I screeched. "Do you want me to live on the streets? Because that's what's going to happen soon!"

"_Decide to come home and I'll be more than happy to make sure that won't be the case."_

"Oh you are an evil woman!" I kicked at the ground angrily. "This is low, even for you."

"_Just come home, Taylor. We're your family, this is your home. You've had your fun, now come home."_

"No, you know what, I don't think I will go home now." I stubbornly shot at her.

"_We love you, Taylor; we only want what's best for you."_

"Oh yeah, I can definitely see how terminating my credit card account is what's best for me." I rolled my eyes. "You're going to have to try harder than that to get me home, Mother."

"_I only care about you."_

"Yeah, sure you do, Mother." I held onto the phone so tightly, my knuckles were turning white. "I'm not going home, not anytime soon. Sorry, but your little plan failed."

I never gave my mother a chance to reply as I threw my phone angrily at the ground without a second thought. I stood there seething, glaring at where my phone had landed and broke into a couple unrecognizable pieces. I couldn't believe my mother. I couldn't believe she would be so selfish and evil to terminate my only source of money. What kind of person did that to their own daughter? I knew we had our disagreements, but I never expected her to go this low just to get me back home. Even though I had absolutely no possible way of paying to stay in this hotel or any other passed tomorrow, I knew there was no way I was going home. I wasn't finished here yet. I could feel there was still a reason for me to be here. And there was no way I was going to give my mother the pleasure of me returning just because of this. Oh no, I was going to spite her by staying here as long as I possibly could.

I just wasn't sure how that was going to happen.

"Are you alright?" Godric questioned from behind me.

I ignored him as I stared at my phone, realization hitting me. I groaned as I walked over to the broken pieces and knelt down to pick them up.

"Well that was stupid." I grumbled, glaring at the pieces of phone.

"Taylor?" Godric's voice finally caught my attention.

I gazed up at him and tried to smile, but only failed miserably. I sighed as I pushed myself back up onto my feet and tossed the phone pieces into the garbage, another thing that was now useless to me. I may as well just throw my entire life in there next.

"Are you alright?" he asked again, laying a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged my shoulders as I turned to stare up at him sadly. "I've been better."

"You were speaking to your...mother?" He raised an eyebrow.

"More like the devil." I crossed my arms and glared over my shoulder at the trash can like it was the devil woman herself. "She decided to terminate my credit card account so I would be forced to call home for help. I can't believe her!"

"That does not sound like a very motherly thing to do."

"Oh your right, it's not. But my mother hasn't exactly been motherly my entire life." I closed my eyes, trying my best not to freak out right now. "But she is smart. She's making sure that once I run out of money, I'll have no other choice than to run back to Ohio begging for forgiveness. She's evil, but smart."

"I'm sorry."

I couldn't help but smile at the sincerity in Godric's voice. Who would have thought a vampire could feel remorse for someone else's problems. Godric really was different, he really was special.

"Don't be, it's not like you're in cahoots with her." I smiled up at him. "Unless you are, and then I'm sorry but we can't continue this friendship."

A smile appeared on his own lips and that only made my smile grow larger. I liked his smile. It was sweet and genuine. He didn't offer a smile unless he truly meant it. He had no reason to force emotions that weren't there. He was honest with himself and others, and that was a rare quality. I couldn't say I knew another being, either dead or alive, that had that sort of raw honesty. It was just another reason I found myself liking Godric even more than I already did. The more I got to know this vampire, the more I wanted to stay here, to get to know every last detail about his life. I knew it would be a long road, Godric didn't seem like the type to just spill his past to just anyone. But I was also sure a week or two ago he never expected to even converse with a human on the level we had since meeting. So I was hopeful that I would be able to get inside of Godric's head eventually.

I just needed to find a way to do that without being forced out onto the streets.

"You look like you could use a walk." Godric offered.

"I could use anything to get my mind off of my mother." I admitted.

"Well perhaps I could help with that."

"You already have." I saw the slight spark in his eyes as I said this, only making my legs go weak at the sight of life in those dazzling blue eyes. I didn't know why I suddenly felt like a thirteen year old with a school girl crush, but that was exactly how I felt around Godric. I didn't understand these desires or urges that were surging through me, feelings that I had never experienced before. But I wasn't exactly about to shove them away. I liked the way Godric made me feel. He was the first person to make me feel normal, special even. I didn't feel like a freak when I was around him, and for that alone, I would happily spend as much time as possible with him.

I could forget about my troubles, at least for a few hours.

* * *

"You know, this was where I first met you." I nodded across the small coffee shop to the table by the window.

"You saved my life without even knowing who I was." Godric smiled warmly, one hand around a true blood while I gingerly sipped at my steaming mug full of coffee.

"Technically I did." I reminded him. "I've been dreaming about you for months. Which sort of makes me feel like a stalker."

My cheeks turned a light pink as I ducked my head down, letting my long blonde hair fall into my face.

"I'm still intrigued as to why you were having dreams...these visions, about me." Godric titled his head to the side.

"I couldn't tell you." I shrugged, peeking through my hair at him. "And I'm not exactly sorry for it either. If I didn't have dreams about you, then I never would have found my way here. You would have died and who knows if I ever would have found out what I was."

Godric's eyes searched my face for the longest time, and I tried to occupy myself by sipping my coffee and gazing around the coffee shop. It was early in the evening, just around dinner time, so the small cafe was filled to the brim. I noticed the few glances over to our table, and I was sure it didn't exactly look normal for a vampire and a human to be sitting in a coffee shop together. But it seemed the staff was used to vampires coming in, as they kept True Blood on their menu at all times. One of the workers even knew Godric by name, flashing a seductive smile in his direction the moment we had walked into the cafe. Even now, I could spot her wiping down a nearby table, her eyes glued to Godric's every move. I snickered as she tripped over the leg of a chair and nearly fell over before straightening and hurrying back around the counter with rosy cheeks. Godric hadn't noticed a thing however, and his eyes were still on me. I started fidgeting, not used to anyone staring at me in that way, especially not an attractive vampire.

"We have an audience." Godric finally lifted his gaze to glance around us. He frowned as he noticed the eyes of several people, all who looked away quickly when they noticed Godric was watching them.

"Let them look." I set my mug of coffee back down on the table. "People really need to loosen up."

"We can leave if this makes you uncomfortable." He offered.

"I'm not uncomfortable." I assured him, reaching out and laying my hand on his arm. When I realized what I had done, my cheeks grew a darker shade of red and I snapped my hand back.

"Are you sure?" he looked down at his arm where my hand had once been.

"I'm not ashamed to be seen with a vampire, Godric, especially not you." I tried to hide my embarrassment by smiling at him.

He nodded, but I don't think he looked convinced. Even for a vampire who I was sure was a good century or two old, he looked uncomfortable sitting in a simple coffee shop with others staring at him. I guess I couldn't blame him. I knew how this felt. I would often get looks and whispers whenever I was out and about in my small Ohio town. This was just a larger scale than that.

"Can I ask you a question?" I tried to distract him from the looks.

"Of course." He nodded, encouraging me to continue.

"Do you mind if I..." I tried to phrase the question right. "Do you mind if I ask how old you are?"

His eyes were boring into me, and I wondered for a moment if I had just asked the wrong question. But after a moment, his features softened and he seemed to relax.

"We didn't keep track of ages like you humans do now. But I do know I've been a vampire for roughly 2000 years."

I thought I had heard him wrong. I was excepting a few hundred years, but two millenniums? That was just absolutely insane! I was sure I looked as shocked as I felt, my mouth dropping open in surprise, the coffee mug nearly falling right out of my hands.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed, gaining a few stares our way. I ignored them as I leaned over the table, my eyes growing as wide as saucers. "Seriously? Your 2000 years old?"

He nodded with a small smile on his lips. "I am."

"Oh my god." I sat back with a stunned expression on my face. 2000 years. This vampire before me has been alive for over two millenniums. I couldn't even begin to imagine what he's seen in his life. He's watched not only the world, but the human race, evolve before his very eyes.

"Yes, I suppose it's fascinating to some."

"Fascinating? It's friggin insane!" I shook my head with a laugh. "Who would have thought that I've been hanging around a walking talking history textbook all this time!"

"You find amusements in the smallest things." There was a certain spark in his eyes as he said this.

"I'm human; it's the small things in life that amuse me." I shrug with a grin. "That really is amazing though, Godric. I can barely believe I've made it through 18 years in one piece, I can't imagine living for over 2000!"

"It has it's...ups and downs." A frown suddenly settled on his face, his eyes falling downwards to the table as if he was remembering his past. I could tell that his past still haunted him, that no matter what I may tell him, he'll always consider himself to be the monster he may have once been.

"Sorry." I found my hand reaching back out, only this time to graze over his hand holding the bottle of blood. "I didn't mean to bring up any bad memories or anything."

His eyes rose to meet mine, and I felt like I was looking straight into his soul. I didn't believe that vampires didn't have souls. His heart may not be beating, but he was still here, he was still a living being in some sense. And I could see that deep within his soul, he regretted many of the things he had done in the past. I knew that if he could go back in time to correct his mistakes, he certainly would. And that shows just how much he had changed, how good of a person he is now.

"I'm just going to go use the restroom, I'll be right back." I patted his hand before standing.

I raised an eyebrow at the heads that suddenly turned away the moment I stood, as if they were watching us like they would a show on TV. I rolled my eyes and manoeuvred around the small coffee shop to the side hallway where the restrooms were located. I smiled at a young girl and her mother as they exited the women's bathroom together, the girl bouncing along happily. I chuckled and was about to push the swinging door open when suddenly, I felt an arm wrap tightly around my waist while another hand came out of nowhere to clamp down on my mouth. My eyes grew wide as I immediately started struggling. I didn't know who was behind me, who was shoving me towards the side door, but it didn't matter to me. I fought like my life depended on it, and part of me knew that it did. I tried to scream, tried to yell for Godric's attention, but the hand was wrapped so tightly around my mouth that I had to force myself to breathe through my nose. I tried to kick and scratch at the mysterious attacker behind me as I was pushed through the door and out into a dark alley, but it was no use.

"Look what we have here." The attacker voiced from behind me as he suddenly released me, only for my body to be shoved against the alley wall.

I winced at the impact, but didn't have any time to react before I felt hands on my, pulling me around so my back was shoved into the brick wall next. I grunted, the back of my head hitting the wall with force, black dots beginning to invade my vision.

"Well if it isn't the all and mighty girl who saved the fanger." Another voice snarled in my ear.

I continued to struggle even though I was being pressed against the wall by men on either side of me. Their hands gripped around my arm and shoulders, ensuring that I couldn't escape. I tried to kick at the one standing in front of me, tried to do what I could to get away. I needed to get away. I knew that if I didn't, my fate may just lead me to a cemetery.

"Aren't you just a hero?" The one before me drawled, a cruel smirk forming on his face.

I squinted to get a good look at him, the alley too dark to recognize him right away. But after a moment, I was able to tell enough about the man to be able to place his face with one of the men who had tried to kill Godric in this very alley almost two weeks ago. I didn't need to look at the men beside me, knowing they were the other two who had been with him. My eyes grew wide as I only continued to fight back harder. These people had no mercy. If they were willing to do those cruel horrible things to Godric, then god knows what they would do to me.

"Let me go." I gritted my teeth.

"Now why would we do a thing like that, pretty little thing?" he stepped forward, his hand reaching out to grip my chin tightly.

I tried to jostle his hand away, not wanting his grimy hands on me, but that only resulted in the back of his hand connecting with my cheek, snapping my head to the side. I whimpered as he grabbed onto my chin, forcing me to stare up into the eyes I would surely never forget. I glared at him, the red handprint glowing on my face in the dim light from the street that felt like miles away.

"You're a pretty one." His eyes roamed over my body, stopping at my breasts. When he licked his lips I started struggling again.

"You're sick." I spat at him.

That only angered him more and once again, my head was snapping to the side from the back of his hand connecting with the same cheek.

"I'd be careful what you say to me, little girl." He sneered, his face lowering down to mine. "I don't like bitches talking back to me."

"Can we cop a feel, Rick?" the one on my left sounded eager.

"No." Rick snapped, glaring at the youngest of the three. "She's mine."

My face paled. I could see it in his eyes what he meant. And that only caused me to let out an ear piercing scream, hoping to god that Godric would be able to hear me.

"Fuck, shut her up!" Rick ordered the two holding me against the wall.

I felt a hand grab onto my hair and yank my head forward, only to shove it back into the wall. I cried out in pain, only for the action to be repeated. This time I silently cried, the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks. But I refused to show these bastards my tears. I refused to show them an ounce of emotion.

"I'm going to have fun with you." Rick's lips curled up into the most evil smirk I've ever seen in my life. Stan seemed innocent compared to this horrible human. I almost would rather Stan be here, threatening my life, instead of these men. At least Stan would have fed from me and that would have been it. I knew these three had a much richer plan than that. They were planning on using me in ways I never wanted to be used.

So I screamed again. And continued screaming until a pocket knife was drawn from Rick's back pocket. My mouth clamped shut immediately as my eyes grew wide in fear.

"That shuts you up, does it?" he snickered, stepping forward and pressing the back of the steel flat on my neck.

I froze, trying my best not to move a muscle. A single flinch and the blade of the knife would slice right into my neck. So I kept as still as possible, hardly even blinking as I stared this evil man straight in the eye. I could feel my body begin to shake as the knife slowly trailed down to my collarbone, pressing into me harder every inch it moved. I was petrified. I had never been so scared before in my life. I was a small farm girl from Ohio, these things weren't supposed to happen to me. I wasn't supposed to be raped and murdered outside of a coffee shop I had only been enjoying myself minutes ago. This wasn't supposed to be my fate. How is it that I was able to see Godric's potential death, but I couldn't see my own?

"Please." I begged softly, feeling the knife turn so the blade was meeting my skin. "Please don't do this."

"You ruined our fun, bitch." He sneered in my ear. "So we're going to enjoy you instead."

I tried screaming again, screaming for my life. Godric had to be able to hear me, he just had to. Because if he didn't, if he didn't know that I was out here and in trouble, I could kiss my life goodbye. These three wouldn't just rape me and let me go. No, I could see it in these men's eyes that they were going to kill me. That was even more horrifying than a vampire draining me. These were members of the human race. They called Vampires the monsters, but they were the true monsters.

"I told you to shut your mouth." His eyes narrowed, the knife pressing hard enough into my collarbone to break through the skin. I cried out in pain, only for the knife to press into me even more.

"Please." I couldn't help the tear that slid down my cheek.

An ear piercing scream left my lips as the knife sliced right through me like my skin was merely butter. I sobbed as the knife was stopped just above my breast, the wicked man wielding the weapon licking his lips at the sight of cleavage peaking out the top of my shirt. It felt like I was on fire as the blood stained my shirt. I closed my eyes tightly, wishing for this just to be over already.

"Shut that mouth of yours, or I'm going to have to scar your tight little body even more." He threatened in my ear. "Not even your fanger is going to save you now."

But he was wrong.

The knife falling to the ground was the first sound I heard before a strong wind whipped past us. My eyes flew open and I, and the men on either side of me, were surprised to find that Rick was no longer standing before us. I felt the hands fly off of me as they looked around for their leader. It wasn't much longer before a lifeless body just about fell from the sky, crashing into the dumpster.

"What the fuck, man!" One began panicking. "What the fuck!"

"Let's get out of here!" the other grabbed onto the younger one and began dragging him towards the end of the alley.

I watched in amazement as Godric suddenly just appeared out of nowhere, his fangs extended and his eyes looking almost black. I whimpered as I slid down the wall, my hand pressing to my bleeding wound as I watched the scene before me. I eyed Rick's body out the corner of my eye, and at the angle his body was splayed, I knew that he was dead.

"It's that fanger!" the younger shouted.

I heard an animalistic growl and I wanted to look away as Godric grabbed onto the larger of the two, his hand wrapping around his neck with ease. But I couldn't look away. I watched as Godric snapped his neck without remorse, as if he was simply flicking away a fly. The blood had drained from my face, and was slowly pouring out of my wound, while the younger took off in the other direction. The pain was increasing, my body shaking from both pain and terror, and I knew I needed to get out of here. I needed to get to a doctor, or a hospital. It didn't matter; I just needed to get far away from here.

"Godric!" I called out to him as he stepped forward to go after the young attacker. His head snapped towards me the moment his name passed through my lips however, and everything else was forgotten. He was at my side in a flash, his eyes roaming over every inch of me until they stopped at where my hand was pressing. He reached out gingerly and removed my hand. I heard his intake of breath at the sight of my blood, and for a brief moment, I wondered what he would do.

"You're safe now, little seer." He whispered in assurance, forcing his eyes up to my face as his arms slipped around me.

Moments later I was lifted into his arms. I laid my head on his shoulder, my eyes clamping shut as he held me to him tightly. I felt weightless, the wind whipping my face, and I wanted to open my eyes to see what was going on. But I couldn't. The pain from my bleeding wound was forcing my eyes closed. I never could have imagined the pain a simple knife wound could produce. It was horrible. I just wanted to fall asleep and have this all be some terrible nightmare. This had to be some dream. I couldn't have nearly gotten raped and killed outside of the very building I had saved Godric's life. That felt like eons ago now. Now it was Godric saving my life, for the third time, and out of the kindness of his heart.

"Where's your hotel room, little one?" I heard whispered into my ear.

I forced open my eyes and was surprised to find that we were on the roof of my hotel. I had no idea how we possibly could have gotten here, but it didn't seem to matter as Godric made his way over to the roof door and slipped inside.

"Taylor? What number?" he questioned as he hurried down the stairs and into the hotel.

"312." I murmured, my eyes closed again.

I could tell that he was using his speed to get us there that much faster.

"Pocket..." I mumbled once I felt Godric stop. I was just happy I had slipped the key card to my room into my jean pocket just before I had left earlier.

I felt his hand gently slide into my pocket and tug out the card. Seconds later I felt myself being placed on the bed, my back against a pile of pillows. I groaned as the pain seemed to only get worse, the blood continuing to flow.

"I need to heal you now, Taylor." He brushed the hair off of my shoulder for my wound to be completely visible.

I cracked my eyes open and watched as he gently inspected the wound. I hissed in pain as his fingers glided over the open wound, becoming drenched in blood.

"It's not as deep as I expected." He muttered to himself before he rose his eyes up to meet mine. "Do you trust me, Taylor?"

I didn't even have to think about it as I nodded. I winced again in pain, my body shaking lightly as I thought only of the pain. I heard the clicking of his fangs extending and my eyes suddenly widened. I stared up into those stark white fangs and a pang of fear shot through me. However, as I looked into those worried blue eyes, the fear just vanished. I had nothing to fear. This was Godric, he wouldn't hurt me. Those mesmerizing eyes calmed me and I relaxed against the pillows, part of me wondering what he was going to do.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He assured, caressed my cheek with the back of his hand for a moment before tilting my head to the left.

My chest was rising up and down rapidly, matching the rhythm of my heart. I watched out the corner of my eye as he sliced his own tongue with his fangs, the blood beginning to bubble. I tried my best to keep myself calm and still as he lowered his head down to my wound. I nearly jumped when I felt his bloody tongue on the gash. I bit down hard on my bottom lip to silence my whimpers as his tongue gently glided over the wound, his blood mixing with mine. Slowly but surely, and to my amazement, the pain started to lessen before disappearing all together. My heartbeat returned to its normal pace, my breathing following suit. His tongue continued to lick at my wound, an act that was beginning to send tingling sensations to the rest of my body. I could feel the heat beginning to waft through my entire body as the gentle licks were long and drawn out. There was something so soothing about the motions that my eyes began to close, my body loosening completely.

And then there was something else.

My heart skipped a beat as another feeling was shot through me.

Desire.

Godric's slow licks, they were turning from soothing to almost...sensual. I had to bite back down on my lip in order to keep the moan at bay that was threatening to emit. There was a warmth between my legs that I had never felt before. There were so many desires and sensual urges that were shooting through me that it was starting to become too much. I didn't understand at all what was occurring inside of me, but for some reason, I just didn't want it to stop.

But it did stop. Only moments later Godric licked one last time across where the wound once was, his tongue ending just at the base of my neck. I shuddered at the feeling, having a strong want to just kiss him at that very moment. I had to control myself as Godric's head lifted up, his eyes now boring into me as I heard his fangs retract.

"Are you still in pain?" Godric asked softly, clasping a finger under my chin and pulling my gaze towards him.

My eyes slowly opened and I knew my cheeks were a bright red. I couldn't utter a word and instead just shook my head.

"Good." He offered a small smile before moving to stand beside the bed. "I should leave you to wash up."

As his hand fell to his side, I gazed down at where the bloody wound had once been, and gasped when I found my skin to look flawless. I lightly grazed my fingers over where the gash just was, and found that there wasn't even a scar to be found, no pain to be felt.

"I'll leave you now." He took a step away, a sad look on his face.

"No wait!" I reached out, my fingers brushing around his hand. He stared down at our hands for a moment before his eyes rose to meet mine. "Could you...could you stay?" I asked in a soft voice. "I just...I don't want to be alone right now."

He stood there staring at me for what felt like hours before he nodded and offered another smile. He took a step closer to the bed where he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind my ear. He leant down, his lips brushing across my forehead before they were brought down to just beside my ear.

"I won't leave you, little seer, I promise you that."


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six:**

"You're quiet, little one." Godric mused from where he stood before the large hotel window.

I tried to look up at him, to speak, but I just couldn't manage it. Since Godric had promised to stay the night, neither of us had spoken. I just sat on the bed, my knees pulled up to my chest as I tried to control the raging emotions inside of me. I felt the lump in my throat rising, the tears welling in my eyes. I didn't want to break down in front of Godric. I didn't want him to think I was some weak little girl. I didn't want to scare him away. I had already hugged him unexpectedly. I didn't want my tears and sobs to push him away. Especially not tonight. I didn't want to be alone. Because I knew if I was alone, I would curl up in the corner and never leave.

"You do not need to hide your emotions, Taylor." I hadn't realized Godric had moved over to the bed until I found him sitting before me, a worried look in his eyes. "You went through quite an ordeal tonight; you have every right to be upset."

"I'm fine." I mumbled, trying to avert his gaze.

But a finger clasped under my chin and lifted my eyes to meet his. I sighed as I bit down on my bottom lip, wishing away the tears that I knew were threatening to spill.

"There's no shame in crying." He slid his hand up, his thumb caressing my cheek. My eyes closed at his cool touch. There was just something about him that calmed me, that soothed me. It wasn't enough for the emotions to vanish, but it did give me hope that maybe as long as Godric was there, I would be alright.

"I'm fine." My voice was soft as my eyes opened. "I just...it's been a long night is all."

"You should sleep." He urged.

"I can't." I shook my head. I knew the moment I closed my eyes I would relive the events tonight, I would see those cruel eyes of my attackers. And I couldn't handle that. It was hard enough not to break down without having to see those faces. "I'm not tired."

"That's a lie." His thumb was still caressing my cheek. "You're exhausted."

"I can't sleep." I tried to look away but he wouldn't allow it. "I'm...I'm scared."

"You're scared of reliving tonight." he sighed. "I'm sorry. It was my fault you were attacked."

"No it wasn't." I frowned. How could he think that? How could he think this was all his fault? "You saved my life, Godric."

"Had you not saved my life, the life of a vampire you didn't even know, you would not have been subjected to this pain." He was the one to break our gaze, his head bowing guiltily. "I'm truly sorry, Taylor, for the pain I've caused you."

"Hey." I reached out and grabbed his chin, jostling his head up much to his surprise. "You did nothing wrong Godric. I saved your life that night because you're a good person and didn't deserve that torture. I don't regret it, not one bit. Because if I hadn't of saved you, we never would have become friends. And I'm so glad that we're friends. You're the only one who doesn't treat me like some freak."

"You're not a freak." He didn't seem to understand why anyone would see me as a freak. "You are a special being, Taylor. You're a chosen one. You've been blessed with the gift of sight."

"See, if I hadn't of saved you, then I would have you to tell me off for thinking down on myself." I couldn't help but smile. "You're the only one in my life who thinks that way, and I wouldn't trade that."

"You were nearly raped and murdered tonight." There was a sadness in his eyes that just broke my heart.

"And that was their decision, Godric. If they were capable of doing it to me, then they are capable of doing it to some other innocent girl that wouldn't have a vampire to sweep in and save the day." My fingers seemed to have a mind of their own as they began caressing his jaw, tracing the long lines. His eyes closed under my touch, and that only urged me on. I found myself drawing closer to Godric as a whole, my body shuffling towards his. We were so close, closer than we had ever been. So close that I could have brushed my lips across his so easily. It was tempting even. It took all the self control in the world to stop myself from doing so.

"I should advise you, that should you not distance yourself, I won't be able to control myself." His voice wavered, sounding strained to my ears.

My cheeks flushed as I realized that I was all but in his lap. I quickly scrambled away from him, letting my long hair fall into my face to hide my embarrassment.

"Sorry." I mumbled.

"Don't be." Godric sighed, his eyes finally opening. "I'm afraid that even I cannot control my urges at times."

I nodded but didn't say a word, too embarrassed to do so. I couldn't believe how lost in thought I had become. What had come over me? I was supposed to be emotional, not horny.

"Perhaps you should sleep, little one." He spoke, breaking our silence.

I shook my head. "I don't want to dream about..."

"I'll lie with you, if you permit it." he offered. "We can ward off the nightmares together."

I looked at him in surprise. He was willing to lie with me, all night, just to ensure I didn't have any nightmares? And he thought he was a monster. No monster would offer to do something like that.

"Really?" I asked hopefully. We had hardly known one another for more than two weeks and I was already willing to sleep in the same bed as him. Dallas certainly had changed me.

"Of course." He nodded. "You deserve a peaceful slumber."

My heart melted. "Okay."

His smile grew and before I could even blink, he was beside me on the bed. I jumped, my heart racing at the sudden move. He chuckled softly as I scooted down on the bed, curling up on my side as Godric pulled the sheets over top of me. He too laid down, though he made sure to stay on top of the sheets. I wasn't sure if that was because he didn't need the warmth, of if he didn't want to be so close and touch me.

"Sleep, little one. You're safe. No one will harm you, not while I'm here." Godric whispered, brushing away the hair that had fallen into my face.

I let out a peaceful sigh as my eyes closed. I shifted closer to him however, my arm sliding over his waist as my head rested on his chest. He stiffened at first, not used to the contact. But after a moment, he relaxed and even drew our hands together, our fingers intertwining.

"Goodnight, Godric." I murmured, feeling sleep beginning to tug at my conscious.

"Sleep well, little seer, sleep well."

* * *

Waking up without Godric at my side felt odd. It had only been one night, only a few hours really, and it just felt so natural. The feel of his arms around me, the comfortable chest my head rested on. I had never wanted him to leave. But unfortunately, even I knew that had to occur. He couldn't exactly stay here once it was dawn. There was nothing to stop the sun rays from penetrating the glass window. He wasn't safe here, no matter how much I wished him to stay.

Dragging myself out of bed, I pulled myself over to the bathroom to get ready. I splashed some water on my face, still amazed to look at where the knife wound should have scarred, but was rewarded with smooth skin and not even a hint of the events last night. The redness of my cheek had vanished during the night, and only light bruising appeared on my upper arms, easily able to conceal and forget they didn't exist.

Because that was all I wanted to do. I wanted to forget last night ever happened. I wanted to pretend that I hadn't nearly been raped and murdered. I couldn't think about it, I would only break down. The only reason I had been able to sleep last night soundlessly was because of Godric. He was like my guardian, by my side the entire time to ward off the demons of the night. I was so thankful for him, not sure how I would ever pay him back. I was sure he hadn't exactly signed on for this. He hadn't planned on befriending a human, and then I just pop up out of nowhere. But I couldn't just turn my back on Godric and leave Dallas. I considered him a friend, and a good one at that. Maybe he didn't think the same way, but he hadn't corrected me last night. Though when I thought about it, I realized that the last thing I wanted was for him to only just be a friend.

"Where did that come from?" I muttered to myself as I ran a hand through my long blonde hair, my cheeks blushing.

Being around Godric, it arose so many unexplained feelings inside of me. I had never felt like this before. Maybe it was just a silly little crush, I mean Godric was gorgeous. But the desires, the urges I felt, it made me believe it was more than just a crush. I just didn't understand what. I didn't want to believe I was naive, but to be honest, I partially was. I didn't exactly have a close friend I could talk about this with, or an understanding mother. I was all alone, trying to figure out all these mixed emotions.

As I was making my way out of the bathroom, dressed in nothing special, a thought struck me.

"Oh shit." My eyes grew wide, remembering I had to pay the bill for the hotel today.

And I had no money.

Or a plan.

"Fuck!" I kicked at the bed with a frown on my face.

What was I supposed to do? I was a terrible liar; I couldn't just come up with some extravagant lie. They would be able to see right through me. My lying skills had been proved that night with Godric so long ago. I was terrible at it. So what was I going to do? The hotel would throw me out eventually. I didn't have anywhere to go, or money to keep me all nice and safe in a hotel. I couldn't call home. That would be admitting defeat. I wasn't ready to go home just yet. Yes, I had been nearly raped and murdered last night, but that didn't mean I wanted to leave Dallas. There was still so much I wanted to know, so much I knew Godric could teach me. He had been the only true friend I've ever had, the only one in the world who hadn't made me feel like some freak. I was just plain old me around him, nothing more nothing less. And I liked that. I didn't want to be some talked about freak that everyone looked at oddly. I wanted to be normal, for no one to know who I was or the weird curse I had been born with. No one knew who I was in Dallas; no one knew a damn thing.

"Crap crap crap." I sat on the bed, trying to think of what to do. Maybe I could just slip out of the hotel and not come back until late at night and avoid the entire thing. It didn't sound like a very good plan, but what else was I going to do? I couldn't lie to them. That wasn't going to work. And if I told the truth, I would just be kicked out. So sneaking in and out, that was really my only way out of this, until I found some sort of money anyways.

"Here goes nothing." I mumbled, grabbing my jacket and anything else I would need before heading out of the room.

I was nervous the entire way down to the lobby. I flashed the collar of my coat up, hoping to block my face as I hurried out of the elevator. I felt like I was in some badly made spy movie. And I seemed to be just as horrible at sneaking around as I was at lying as the moment I left the elevator, the girl at the front desk recognized me.

"Good afternoon Ms. Edwards." The girl flashed me a smile. "How are you today?"

I couldn't just keep walking and pretend I didn't hear her, then they would know something was up. Muttering curses to myself, I slowly made my way over, praying I would be able to lie without sounding like a complete lunatic.

But it seemed I didn't even need to attempt to lie.

"You know, the older managers, they don't allow in many vampires." The young girl, who couldn't have been much older than I was, leaned over the counter and winked at me. "But we'll just keep this between you and I."

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow, completely confused.

"The vampire last night. Well this morning. He came down just as I was starting." She explained with a grin. "He was rather cute, I'll admit. Not that I'm into vampires or anything, but he was certainly a looker!"

"Oh, um..." What was I supposed to say?

"But don't worry, I won't let anyone know." She assured. "For a vampire though, he certainly was nice. And polite. Just came over and asked to pay for your room and then left."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" My mouth dropped open in shock.

"He paid your bill. Indefinitely actually. That includes any charges." She bobbed her head up and down, not noticing the look of pure surprise on my face.

I couldn't say anything. I didn't even know what to say. What did someone say to that? So I just mumbled a goodbye and stumbled outside. Godric had paid for my hotel room. Indefinitely. I couldn't even think straight. Why would he do that?

I sat outside the hotel for what felt like hours. Guests travelled in and out of the swinging hotel doors, but I hardly paid them any attention. My only focus was on the vampire who I found myself furious with. How could Godric just do that? How could he just pay my hotel bill indefinitely? A sane person would simply take the gift and move on, but I was beginning to believe I wasn't sane at all. I couldn't accept this. I was a hard working girl from Ohio. My father had taught me at a young age to always work for what I deserved. I wasn't some spoiled rich kid who was handed everything in life. If Godric thought that was who I was, then he had another thing coming. As much as I wanted to remain in Dallas and not live on the corner in a box, I just couldn't let him do this. This was just too much.

"Good evening, Taylor."

I hadn't even realized the sun had set until I heard his voice. I snapped right out of my trance, jumping to my feet and glaring at Godric as he approached. He had been around for over two thousand years and knew immediately something was wrong as a frown settled on his perfectly sculpted face. No, don't think like that Taylor! You can't let yourself get distracted by those gorgeous blue eyes and the tattoo that was peeking out the top of his shirt. No, remember what he had done.

"Is everything alright?" He asked worriedly. "Little one?"

"How could you Godric." I exclaimed, my voice growing a bit louder than I was originally expecting. But I just couldn't care at that moment.

"I do not understand." He stood before me, a look of confusion flashing in his eyes. "What's wrong, Taylor?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong you ask? Well I'll tell you what's wrong!" I threw my arms up in the air, not caring at all who could be watching us. I had a wild temper, that much I knew. I may be timid and shy, but when I was angry, oh, I was definitely not someone you would want to be around. "What the hell is wrong with you!"

"I'm not sure I comprehend, Taylor. Did something happen? Did I do something wrong?" he tried to make sense of my sudden anger.

"Of course you did something wrong!" My eyes were blazing. "If you think I'm that sort of girl, then you can just turn around and leave right now!"

"Taylor please." Godric gazed around us at the small crowd that had stopped to watch the scene unfold.

I glared at each and every one of them until they were scurrying along.

"Perhaps we should take this inside." He suggested.

"Oh no. Not going to happen. I'm not going to step foot into that hotel!" I crossed my arms stubbornly as I set my glare on him. "How could you Godric?"

He looked so defeated, unsure of why I was furious with him. And that only seemed to make me angrier. I let out a small scream of frustration before poking him in the chest. Yes, I poked a vampire, a two thousand year old vampire. I was sure if this was any other vampire, they would have chewed my head off already. But Godric didn't. He merely stood there, accepting the poking punishment until my finger began to ache and I stopped. By my glare, oh my glare did not waver. I was the queen of glaring!

"I can't believe you!" I seethed. "Why would you do that, Godric?"

"I cannot say I know what you're speaking of." He admitted.

"The hotel!"

"Oh." He began to understand my frustration, realization dawning on his face. "I see."

"You see? That's all you have to say for yourself!" I proceeded to poke him yet again.

"I do not see what I did wrong. You were in need of a place to stay and were without money." He shrugged, seeing nothing wrong with his actions.

"Of course the rich little vampire would think like that." I growled, not happy one bit. I did not take pity presents. I did not take anything that I didn't deserve. And a hotel bill paid indefinitely along with any extra charges, that was something I hadn't earned. Sure I had saved his life, but he had saved mine three times. If anything, I owed him everything, not the other way around. "I don't want your money, Godric. I'm not that kind of girl."

"Which is why I did so discretely."Godric sighed. "I knew you would not accept it if I informed you of my offer."

"You're damn right!" My eyes narrowed. "I don't want your money. I don't want your pity. I can find a way to pay for my own damn bill."

"Today? You had a plan to pay your bill today?" he raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that you were in a bind and I simply helped you out of it."

"I didn't want your help, that's just it!"

"You are my friend, Taylor. I could not have you living on the streets when I could instead help you. I've been alive for many centuries; I have no use for the wealth I have gained."

"I don't care." I shook my head. "I didn't want you to do that. That was too much. I can't accept it. I won't. I'll just leave the hotel."

"And where will you go?" He asked, taking a step forward as those calm blue eyes bore down at me. "Where will you go, little one?"

"I don't know." I frowned. "Somewhere. I don't want your pity."

"It's not pity, Taylor." He raised a hand up and cupped my cheek. I flinched, but didn't move away. His hand was cool, and yet so warm at the same time. How was that even possible? No. Bad. Do not get distracted, you're angry remember. "You saved my live..."

"And you saved mine three times already. You don't owe me anything." I went to move away from him but found that I couldn't. I really enjoyed his touch, no matter how wrong I told myself it was.

"But I do. You saved my life without truly knowing me. You risked everything for a vampire. You have given me hope that I lost long ago. For that, I owe you everything." He offered a smile, his thumb caressing my cheek. "I apologize if my actions hurt you. I never intended for you to react in this manner. I merely did what I thought was best."

"I still can't accept it." my voice lowered, my eyes falling to the ground between us, though I only realized now just how close we had become.

"Yes you can. I insist." He clasped my chin, lifting my gaze up to meet his. "I won't apologize for what I did, Taylor. You were in need and I did what I had to. Now you can leave, I will not stop you, but it would mean a great deal to me if you stayed, if only just for a little bit longer."

I stared into those blue eyes and tried to fight my inner conscious. Part of me was furious with Godric and wanted to just say 'fuck you' and leave, never to look back again. But the other part of me, the rational side, just couldn't do that. While I didn't approve of what Godric had done, I did understand it. He was only trying to help a friend, and I did appreciate it. I didn't want to sound like some ungrateful brat. I did appreciate that he was willing to pay for my hotel to ensure that I stayed. I had hoped that my being here wasn't annoying him, that my tendencies to hug him or break down hadn't scared him off. And it seemed like that wasn't the case at all. He wanted me to say, he had said that himself. That alone made my decision for me in an instant.

"Fine. But I'm not happy about this." I wagged my finger at him, though I couldn't help the smile that graced my lips.

A smile of his own crossed Godric's face and that only caused my smile to grow. It made me weak in the knees every time he smiled like that. He looked like the teenager he appeared when he smiled. It was nice.

"Are you still angry with me?" he wondered, a twinkle in his eyes.

"Just a little bit." I tilted my head to the side. "But not enough to stomp away."

"I'm glad. I was hoping you would accompany me somewhere tonight, I don't wish to be alone."

My face brightened immediately, my heart skipping a beat. He didn't want to be alone. He wanted to be with me. I didn't know why I was acting like a thirteen year old girl, but I certainly was.

"What did you have in mind?" I asked curiously.

"There is a...party of sorts at my nest that my lieutenants put together. As Sheriff, it is my duty to attend." I could tell the hesitance in his voice. He didn't like parties, at least not while on duty.

"You act like such a teenager at times." I couldn't help but chuckle. "It's like your parents are throwing you a party with all of their friends and you couldn't care less."

"Yes, I suppose so." He nodded, his smile growing. "It will be dreadful of course, but..."

"I'd love to go." I nodded wildly. It was a party full of vampires, and yet I was thrilled to go. Yes, I had most definitely lost my sanity somewhere along the way.

"Perfect." He was grinning now. "Having you there, it will make the evening much better."

"Great." I could have stood there with him all night and I would have been happy. But then a thought flashed in my mind. "Shit, what am I going to wear?"

"Hm?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Clothes, Godric, what am I going to wear. Keep up now." I waved my hand in the air before twisting around and hurrying towards the swinging doors. When I realized Godric wasn't following me, I rolled my eyes, turning around and raced back over to him. "Come on, Godric, move it."

There was a look of amusement on his face as I grasped his hand and tugged him into the hotel lobby and to the elevators. The moment we entered my room, I was tearing the closet apart looking for appropriate attire to wear to a vampire party. I couldn't just wear jeans and a t-shirt; they weren't exactly those type of people. And I hadn't exactly brought my entire wardrobe to Dallas. Even if I had, I owned two dresses: one for prom that I detested, and another for my cousin's wedding that my mother forced me to wear.

"Whatever you decide to wear will be perfect, Taylor. You look beautiful in just about everything." he assured from where he sat on the bed.

"Now is not the time to be the sweet vampire, Godric. I need help here!" I tossed clothes around before realizing what he had just said. "Did you just say I was beautiful?"

I ducked my head out of the closet, my face flushing as I stared him straight in the eye. He didn't seem put off by the question, a genuine smile on his face.

"You are a stunning human." He nodded. "And you will look absolutely perfect in whatever you decide to wear."

My heart melted. It melted and turned into a pile of goo at my feet. I wasn't sure what to say, and instead, went back to the task at hand. Because if I didn't, I was sure I would find myself leaping at the vampire, kissing him like I had been wanting to kiss him since the day we met face to face. Oh those lips just looked so...

Focus, Taylor, focus.

Vampire party, nothing to wear. What was a girl supposed to do?"

"Oh this is hopeless!" I threw my arms up, moaning as I looked around the room at all of my clothes. "I have _nothing_ to wear, Godric!"

"You have plenty of clothes." He eyed the mess I had made.

"Clothes yes, something to impress all of your vampire friends, that I don't have." I groaned. "Maybe I shouldn't go. You're the sheriff. You can't bring some farm girl hick to your home!"

"Nonsense." He shook his head, standing up and approaching my defeated form. He laid his hands on my shoulders, offering me a kind smile. "I think I may have a solution."

"And what's that?" I looked at him hesitantly.

"You mustn't become angry."

"Godric, what is it?"

* * *

"You can't buy me a dress, Godric!" I exclaimed from inside the changing room of a lavish clothing store Godric had just about dragged me into an hour ago. "You really can't do this."

"I can. Hurry up, little seer, we must be leaving soon." He spoke calmly from the other side of the door.

"I'm not coming out." I shook my head stubbornly.

"And why not?" he sighed.

"Well for one, I look hideous. And secondly, I can't let you do this. You paid for my hotel indefinitely. You can't do this too."

"I have gained quite a wealth over my many years, Taylor. Money means nothing to me."

"That's just the thing Godric. It means nothing to you, but everything to me. I worked my ass off for years while in high school just so I could help pay for college. I've worked on my family's farm since I could walk. Money...it's not just something I throw around." I told him honestly. "I can't accept this, Godric."

"Think of it as a gift."

"I still can't accept."

"What if I told you I would be gravely disappointed if you did not come with me tonight." he was playing the guilt card. The two thousand year old vampire was playing the guilt card. I've now seen everything. "These parties...they're full of arrogant vampires who I would love nothing more than to just pretend I've never met before. But as Sheriff, it's my duty to acknowledge them. I would be forever grateful if you had the heart to join me tonight."

"Your world sounds a lot like high school." I admitted before sighing. "Fine. But the hotel and this dress, that's it. No more hand outs, alright?"

"I can accept that. Now will you come out?"

"I still look hideous." I stared at myself in the mirror and shuddered.

"Will you allow me to make that judgement?" he urged. "I'm sure you look nothing but perfect.

I groaned but left the confines of the dressing room anyways. I shyly stepped out, unable to meet is gaze as I stood before him. The dark purple dress wasn't horrible I suppose. It fell to just above my knee, a respectable length I was comfortable with, and the neckline didn't show off too much cleavage. And alright, the ribbing around my waist did accentuate my figure, but I was a tom boy and have been my whole life, I wasn't used to seeing myself in a dress, and certainly not one this nice.

"You look exquisite, little one." His spoke softly, his eyes roaming over my body.

I blushed but turned slightly. The bodice was tight, but from the waist down, the skirt of the dress flowed freely as I turned. It was beautiful, I would admit that. I just wasn't used to it at all. I didn't see myself as some prom queen. I was short, with uncontrollable hair, eyes that I was sure were just a bit too close together, and a nose with a bump in the curve. I was anything but perfect.

"You are the most beautiful human I've ever laid my eyes upon, little seer." He was in front of me in a flash, a bit too close for comfort.

"I'm not." I shook my head, my cheeks on fire.

"You are." He lifted my chin, our eyes meeting. "Will you accept my compliment, or will we need to argue about that also?"

My lips twisted upward on their own accord. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome, Taylor." He dipped his face down, his lips brushing across my cheek. It was so fast that I wasn't even sure if it had occurred at all. But the cool burning on my cheek was unmistaken. Now if only those lips were to touch mine...

* * *

**A/N:** it's been awhile, and I apologize for that. I've written the start of this chapter about a thousand and one times, only to delete every single version until finally, I wrote this chapter backwards and actually got somewhere. I'm going to be focusing on this fic for awhile, so I'm sure that will please you all. If any of you are readers of the Nothing Is Real fic featuring Ellie/Eric/Godric, that fic is going to be put on hold for a little while. There's been a death in the family and I'm finding writing an overly emotional chapter or two is just too difficult right now. It won't be too long before it's updated, but for now, I putting all my energy into this fic...because who doesn't love reading about Godric?


	8. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven:**

I nervously sat on a white couch, Godric directly beside me. We had gotten to his home, a surprisingly large modern Southern home, only half an hour ago and I was already a nervous wreck. I had been perfectly fine when I had agreed to come here, and even when Godric and I were picking out an outfit. But the moment we walked up that driveway filled with lavish and expensive cars, my heart began racing like a NASCAR race car. I never thought I would be this nervous around vampires. I had never felt like this when I was with Godric. But then again, Godric was so different than everyone else. He was poised, dressed in neutral colours, and didn't look like he could hurt a fly. Hell, at the moment as I spied him out the corner of my eye, he appeared to be absolutely bored. He just sat there, his hands lying in his lap, his eyes drawn to the ground as if he couldn't have cared less about being here. But he was the Sheriff, and he had a certain duty to fulfill. I suppose being present at these parties was just one of the many.

"So..." I turned my body towards Godric, trying to block out everyone else in the large room. I was surprised just how modern both the exterior and interior was. At the moment, we were in a large open room, only a wall to ceiling fireplace separating the space into two. There had only been a few vampires that had greeted Godric once we had arrived, though none of them gave me a second glance. It was probably better that way. I didn't want to stick out, for anyone to notice me for the wrong reason. I hadn't seen Stan yet, and I was glad about that. I did meet Isabel, the other lieutenant, and much kinder second in command. I remembered her from my dreams, and she was just as warm and welcoming as I expected her to be. She had a thick Hispanic accent, with tanned skin that not even turning into a vampire could change.

"This is boring you." Godric slowly turned his gaze to meet mine.

"Not at all." I shook my head. I wasn't really bored. I was more freaking out than anything. "You look bored though. I have a feeling you hate these things."

"I do." Godric sighed, his eyes roaming around the room, resting on each vampire for a brief moment before moving on. "I despise politics to be honest."

"Then why are you a Sheriff then?" I raised an eyebrow.

"There was a need for one." He shrugged his shoulders. "I could be trusted. And as one of the oldest vampires in the new world, it became my duty to set an example to those younger than me. I could have been King if I wished to be."

"King?" My eyes grew wide. Vampires had royalty?

Godric looked amused. "Each state has a King or Queen."

"And you didn't want to become King? Just think, we could be calling you 'your majesty' and everything." I couldn't help but smile at the mere thought of Godric wearing a crown and having subjects adore him. He seemed just as out of place in that thought as he did now as Sheriff.

"Politics has never interested me. I'd much rather spend the rest of my eternal life living quietly and in peace." He finally rested his gaze back on me, offering a small smile. "And if I had been King, I never would have met such an interesting human."

I was blushing. I was sure my cheeks were a flaming red right about now. "I'm not so special, Godric."

"You are. Even without your unique gift." He slipped his hand around mine, squeezing it gently. I felt a couple pair of eyes falling on us as he did so, and I tried to ignore them. I was sure it was odd for Godric, the sheriff they all adored, to bring home a human so suddenly and acting in this way. From what I could tell, this wasn't usual for him. Or at least, I was hoping I wasn't part of some long list of humans that have intrigued Godric. I liked being the centre of his interest. That sounded selfish, but it was true. I've always been looked down upon. I was always just the crazy girl who everyone talked about. No one saw my dreams as special, what I could do as being unique and intriguing. But Godric saw what no one else did. And I'll be the first to admit that it felt nice. "You need to see your own worth, little one."

"I've just been used to everything being one way for so long." I shrugged. "I'm not used to being complimented for what I could do."

"I've found that when humans do not understand something, they feel as if they're being threatened. It's why many detest us." He motioned around the room. "So many humans don't realize that all we wish is to be equal, to be able to live among them."

"Does everyone think that way?" I asked, noticing some snickers sounding from around us.

"Unfortunately, not many." Godric gazed around the room and shook his head with a sigh. "But one day I hope for it to be true. Humans have evolved, but it seems that we have not."

"You're going to change that." I squeezed his hand and smiled.

"I'm only one vampire." He smiled sadly.

"One two thousand year old vampire who is just plain awesome." My smile grew. "You should realize your own worth, Godric. I know you want to believe you're just a monster not worthy of someone caring about them, but that's the furthest from the truth. You're trying to make a difference. You're trying to make the world a much better and safer place. Not all of these vampires may agree with what you believe, but they look up to you. Even I can see the respect they all have for you. So yes, one day you're going to change the world Godric."

Godric just stared at me for the longest time and I felt my cheeks burn even hotter. I looked away, my eyes roaming over the other vampires in the room. The pairs of eyes that had been watching us quickly looked away, though not before I spotted a few looks of disgust. I shook my head and gazed down at my lap, not sure what else to say or do. Godric however, clasped a finger under my chin and forced me to look up at him, his blue eyes brighter than I had ever seen them.

"You are a magnificent human being, Taylor." His thumb stroked my cheek. "You see what others do not. You see the world in a way that not even I can see. The faith you have, it gives me hope."

I thought my face was going to melt right off. In that moment, it was as if we were the only two in the room. We just sat there, neither of us speaking. I could have stared into those eyes for hours and never find myself bored. And I would have if we hadn't of been interrupted by Isabel.

"I apologize for interrupting." Isabel nodded in respect at Godric. "But there is a phone call for you in your office."

"It can wait, Isabel." Godric reluctantly looked up at his lieutenant.

"It's the King. It sounded urgent."

Godric sighed and bowed his head. I knew our moment alone was over, though I wished we could have just sat there with one another without interruption for the rest of the night. Though perhaps it was a needed distraction. Because I was certain I would find myself pulling an idiotic stunt like kissing him or something. And god knows that would be the final straw for Godric. He wouldn't want a shy little human kissing him. I'm sure it was bad enough that he had endured my hugging and tears. Kissing would just be pushing it.

"I need to take this." He took my hand in his. "Though I wish I didn't have to leave your side."

"It's fine." I assured him with a smile. "This is part of your job. Go be the Sheriff."

He softly kissed the palm of my hand, looking as if he was contemplating if he could put off speaking with the King of Texas. I didn't want Godric to get into any sort of trouble because he was wasting time, and over me of all things.

"I have to use the restroom anyways." I stood alongside of him.

"I'll show you where it is." Isabel offered.

"Are you sure?" Godric looked torn.

"Go, I'll be fine. What's going to happen, the toilet is going to attack me?" I rolled my eyes and patted his arm. "I'm a big girl Godric."

"It's not you I'm worried about." He eyed the vampires in the room before sighing. "But the King has a nasty temper."

"Go already." I nudged him. "I'll meet you back here when you're through."

He nodded and leaned down to kiss my cheek before zipping off to his office. I knew my cheeks were on fire, and I could feel the eyes of every single person, both living and dead, in the room. Thankfully Isabel silently noticed my embarrassment and led me out of the room quickly. She began walking with grace through a maze of hallways, all that looked exactly the same. I tried to remember the way we had come so I wouldn't be lost when I found my way back. But it was just impossible. One thing's for sure, vampires were not a poor species!

"Godric has never brought a human back to the nest." Isabel spoke, her accent thick as she glanced down at me. My height was inadequate compared to hers. Her legs were just endlessly long.

"Oh?" I tried not to sound too interested, though I couldn't help it at all. Godric and I were nothing but friends, but I found I wanted to know about any human he came into contact with. If I wasn't careful, I was going to start acting like a jealous girlfriend, and I certainly wasn't one.

She smiled kindly. "I've known Godric for many centuries. He has become much more reserved than he once was. He will hardly ever feed on a human."

I wasn't sure what to say so I just nodded in response. I couldn't help the skip in my heart to know that there weren't any other humans in his life. Not that I cared if there were. I mean, there was nothing going on between Godric and me, and even if there could be, it's not like I would want anything to happen. He was a two thousand year old vampire and I was just...well me. It didn't matter that he was a vampire. But it did matter that he was wiser, gorgeous, and completely out of my league. I wasn't an idiot; I knew my place in the world. I was the girl next door, the one you looked at, but never really wanted to be with. I was the girl you brought home to your parents, but not the one you would want to take home to your bed. And I guess I was alright with that. With every other guy in the world, I was fine with being that girl. But with Godric, a small part of me wanted more.

Everything was just getting way too confusing now.

"Here you are." I hadn't realized we had stopped walking until her voice jostled me out of my thoughts. "Will you be alright?"

"I'll be fine." I nodded. "Thank you."

"It's my pleasure. I'm pleased to see the Sheriff smile, it's been many years." She bowed before taking her leave.

I watched her turn a corner before I glanced at the bathroom door. I slipped in, my eyes growing wide at how lavish the room was. I felt like I had stepped into a palace. The bathroom was as big as my room back home. And this was a guest bathroom! I think I died and went to bathroom heaven!

I spent longer than a normal human being should have in a bathroom, but I couldn't help but admire every little thing. By the time I had washed my hands, dried them, and opened the door, I hoped Godric would be done so I wouldn't have to sit around alone in a room of vampires. I sure had taken long enough for that to be true. I silently prayed that was the case as I stepped out into the empty hallway, trying to remember the way back to the living room. I stood in the hallway for a good few minutes trying to think of which direction we had even come. Right or left? It couldn't be that difficult. But this house was huge, and it really was a maze in here. Every wall looked the same, and I was too timid to ask anyone for help. Not that there was anyone to ask. I could hear the music from further into the house, but not a single soul was in that exact hallway. It felt eerie as I just stood there. Shaking myself, I went to take a step to the right, hoping I was going in the right direction.

"Well don't you just smell delicious?"

I froze to the spot at the unfamiliar voice. It came from behind me, and as I turned around, I jumped when I found a vampire standing directly behind me a bit too close for comfort. I gulped as I stared up at him. He was taller than Godric was, dark hair slicked back with a bit too much product. His eyes were a bright green, and his lips were twisted into a smirk. The aura around him felt the complete opposite to Godric's. Godric was warm and welcoming, kind and caring. Whereas this vampire, I could feel the evil just oozing out of him. And that just freaked the hell out of me.

"Excuse me." I managed to mumble out before spinning around and beginning down the hallway. I didn't get far however, before the vampire appeared out of nowhere in front of me, blocking my path. I knew my heartbeat was racing from the widening of his smirk, his eyes falling to my rapidly rising chest. "Excuse me, you're in my way."

"I was wondering what delectable human had walked in when I first smelt you." He took a step closer, entering my personal space in a way that rubbed me the wrong way. I stepped back, but he only took another step closer to close the gap. I didn't feel safe, not like I did with Godric. I didn't have to worry about anything with Godric around. I didn't fear him or anything else, I knew he wouldn't hurt me and wouldn't allow any other to do so either. But he was somewhere in this house, not within reach, and I was alone with this strange vampire who was looking at me like I was the tastiest meal he had ever found.

And I wondered, because of what I was, if that was actually true. Godric had said I smelt different, even from the other seers he had met. Did my blood draw in vampires? Was it the most intoxicating taste? Somehow, I didn't exactly want to find out. Not anytime soon. Or really ever.

"Hm, and you don't look to have been claimed." He reached his hand out and brushed away the hair that had fallen over my shoulder. I shuddered at his cold touch, his fingers sliding up the side of my neck. I tried to take another step forward, but his hand cupped the back of my neck and kept me in place. I tried to find a way out of this predicament, but other than screaming for help, I didn't see a single way. He was certainly not one of the good guys, that's for sure.

"I-I'm here with Godric." I hoped that would send the vampire away. Who would possibly try and hurt the human the Sheriff himself had brought into his home?

"He should have claimed you." My eyes grew as wide as saucers as I watched his fangs extend with a click. I began panicking. How could I not? This vampire looked like he wanted to rip out my throat. And unless I did something quick, that was exactly what he was going to do.

Did I have some adrenaline rush for finding myself in life and death situations?

"I'll scream." I warned as he grabbed onto my arm tightly, pushing me right into the wall. I winced at the impact, pain shooting up my spine.

"I'll kill you before you could even utter a sound." He threatened menacingly.

I opened my mouth to let out an ear piercing scream, but his hand clamped down over my mouth with force, tears beginning to well in my eyes. I tried to struggle as he pinned me against the wall, but it was no use. He was a vampire, he was ten times stronger than I could ever imagine. All I could do was watch as the vampire yanked my head to the side before diving his fangs deep into my neck. He must have forgotten about his hand, loosening his grip over my mouth and allowing for a scream to emit. He was lost in the blood lust and just held me against the wall as I screamed, the tears beginning to pour down my cheeks at the pain. I had never been bitten by a vampire. I had thought being wounded by that knife last night had been excruciating, but it was nothing compared to this. This was just torture. I could feel my blood, my own life force, being sucked right out of my veins, right out of my body. I felt my body beginning to grow weak, limb by limb. First it was my thrashing arms, and then my legs, and soon my eyelids began drooping. This vampire was going to kill me, in Godric's house, and there was nothing to do to change that. How had my life changed so drastically? One moment I was happy with Godric, and the next I was dying at the hands of a stranger.

And just like that, the fangs had vanished, the body grinding against me disappearing all together. I slumped down the wall to the ground, my eyes blurry and unfocused as I tried to understand what was going on. I managed to get one of my weak arms up, my hand pressing against the bloody wound as I fought to stay conscious. I blinked and blinked until I realized that the vampire was now pinned to the opposite wall by who I swore looked a lot like Stan.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Damien?" the southern accent was thick, and even in my state, I knew it indeed had to be Stan. "That's the Sheriff's human."

"He should have claimed her. She's delicious." The vampire licked his lips.

"She's his." Stan growled, pressing him into the wall harder. "And unless you want your head ripped off, I would get the hell out of here."

The other vampire narrowed his eyes, pushing Stan right off of me and causing the cowboy to stumble backwards. Before he could do anything else however, there was a sound at the end of the hallway. I was too weak to turn my head, but I could tell that whatever, or whoever, it was, this vampire was spooked. Without sending either Stan or I a second glance, he was gone, and I was hoping, out of the house for good. Once I knew I was safe, or as safe as a bleeding girl in a house filled with vampires could possibly be, I let out a groan and slumped forward. The blood was continuing to pour out of the fang wounds, and I wondered how much more it would take until I was dead. My vision was beginning to become obstructed by black dots, and I knew no matter how hard I fought, I was going to fall unconscious in only a matter of minutes.

"Taylor." I had never been so happy to hear Godric's voice before.

My eyes were beginning to close as I felt his cold touch on my cheek. I moaned and moved into his touch, not wanting him to leave me.

"What happened?" he growled in demand.

"Damien happened." Stan replied. "He attacked her."

"Damien?" I vaguely heard Isabel speak. "From the King's court?"

"The very one." Stan spat, obvious that he hated the vampire.

"How is she?" Isabel sounded worried.

"He took too much from her." Godric's voice sounded faraway.

"G-Godric..." I tried to speak, though it came out softer than a whisper. I had no strength. My hand had fallen lifelessly to my side as my head began lolling to the side. If it wasn't for Godric's body supporting me, I would fall fallen the rest of the way to the ground, unable to hold myself up in a sitting position any longer.

"I'll need to give her blood." Godric sighed. "Quickly. Isabel, track Damien. I want to have a word with him. Stan, ensure the guests remain calm."

"Yes Sheriff." Both lieutenants spoke in unison as I felt myself being picked up.

"Stay with me, little one." Godric whispered into my ear as he sped us somewhere private.

I was fading fast however. I couldn't open my eyes. I couldn't utter a word. There was a tug on my consciousness and it was taking all the strength in the world to stop myself from answering that call. I was just so tired. I wanted to sleep. Just a little nap. That wouldn't hurt, would it?

"Don't you dare die on me, little one." I barely noticed that I was being laid down on a bed. I vaguely heard the ripping of flesh before I felt a warm liquid hit my lips. "I need you to drink, Taylor. My blood will help you."

His blood? What was his blood going to do, it was just blood. But it had healed the knife wound last night. I didn't have a scar, there had been no pain afterwards. Maybe his blood could help. Maybe it would cease the agony in my neck, the numbness that was spreading through my body like wildfire. Somehow, I didn't even know how, my lips parted just enough for the warm liquid to pass into my mouth. I felt a soft cold touch on my throat, massaging it as I slowly drank the liquid. I was lost in a sea of agony and bliss as I drank and drank. His blood tasted different than I had been expecting. It didn't taste horrible, in fact, it tasted sweet, almost intoxicating. I wanted more of it, as much as I possibly could get.

The blood in fact, did work like a miracle. Much like the knife wound, I felt my entire body fill up with warmth, the strength slowly returning as I continued to drink his blood. I moaned in content as one hand reached up to grasp his wrist, holding it to my lips as I sucked at the bloody wound. Before I knew it, I could feel my neck healing itself, the skin folding over the wounds, my blood being replenished. My eyes eventually opened, though they felt heavy as Godric gently tugged his wrist away.

"There we go." I heard him whisper as he laid a soft kiss over what should have been two excruciating fang wounds. But my neck felt as good as it had an hour ago. There was no pain, and the only call at my consciousness was the sudden exhaustion I felt. I wasn't sure if that was an effect of the attack, or from drinking Godric's blood. But I didn't deny myself as I sunk into a peaceful slumber, knowing I was safe and in Godric's care.


	9. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight:**

_A pair of lips brushed against mine before trailing along my jaw line and to the curve of my neck. I moaned as he gently sucked on the skin just below my earlobe, pleasurable sensations shooting through my entire body. I felt his hands roaming over me in a way that no other man had touched me before. His hand slid down my side, lightly tickling my bare side before tracing invisible designs up my flat stomach and to my bra covered breasts. The barrier between his dancing fingers and what he desired was soon ripped away however, and my moans were heightened as his thumb brushed over one nipple, and then the other. I threw my head back against the pillows, giving him even more access to my neck. I heard the distinctive click, his fangs extending and grazing against the pulsing vein. He didn't bite me however, not yet. I knew he was waiting for the right moment, to bring both of us maximum pleasure._

"_Godric..." I moaned out, my eyes growing wide as his lips moved down to a nipple, gently sucking the nub between his fangs while he tweaked the other nipple with his fingers. "Oh god!"_

"_Say it." he urged, his voice low with lust. "Say it, little one."_

_I couldn't speak though as he continued to suck on my nipple, his hand now travelling lower to my panties. Within seconds, I was completely naked below him, not a single piece of clothing hiding me from him. And I was perfectly alright with that. The sensations I was feeling, the fireworks that were going off every time Godric would touch me, the heat that was growing between my legs as he teased my nipples, I just never wanted any of it to stop. The desire and urges that had been building for weeks were finally exploding inside of me, and I couldn't have been happier._

"_Say it." his fingers slid over my most intimate region. I shuddered from his cool touch, grinding my hips in hope that his touch would deepen. But he held back, his fingertips only lightly grazing where I wanted him the most. "Say it, Taylor."_

"_I'm...I'm...oh god, I'm yours Godric!" I let out a gasp as his fingers suddenly dove right inside of me._

_Godric's lips moved back to my neck as I moaned in ecstasy. His fingers were moving rapidly, faster than I could even imagine. His fangs were pressing into my neck, but not just yet sinking into me. He was waiting, biding his time until..._

"_Oh god!" I gasped._

"_Mine." He growled before his fangs sunk into my neck, pure ecstasy running through me._

I was screaming when I felt the hands shaking me awake. My eyes suddenly flew open, my limbs thrashing around as I tried to get my bearings. It was dark all around me, I couldn't see a single thing. All I felt were those ice cold hands on me and I panicked. I couldn't remember anything other than that vampire attacking me. I tried so desperately to understand what had happened, where I was, who was shaking me, but everything was just so blurry.

"It's only me, little one. You're safe." That sweet voice broke through my fear, sounding oh so familiar. It took me a moment before realization dawned. Godric. And just like that, my entire body relaxed, sinking into what felt like a bed beneath me. I let out an audible sigh as my heart began slowing from its racing pace. It was only Godric. I didn't have anything to fear. He had swept in and saved the day, just as he had done every other time. I was safe now, just as he had said. Everything was fine.

"Godric?" I spoke barely above a whisper as I tried to squint, trying to search for Godric's face within the darkness. And as if by some miracle, I was able to see his outline. It was straining to keep in focus, but there he was, his blue eyes shining in concern as he stared down at me.

"I'm here, Taylor." He assured softly, one of his hands now stroking my cheek. A soft moan escaped my lips before I could stop myself, my cheeks growing red as I found myself moving into his cool touch. It was comforting, soothing even. "How do you feel, little one?"

I tried to focus, but it was just so hard when he was touching me in that way. I was just lost in his strokes, never wanting him to stop. I even found myself drifting back asleep as he continued the action.

"Taylor?" the stroking suddenly stopped, his hand removing from my cheek.

My eyes reopened, a pout forming on my lips at the loss of his touch. I wanted to reach out to him, for his hand to return, but at the mere thought I stopped myself. I was sure my face was burning now, flaming red. I was relieved that it was dark, though as Godric was a vampire, I was sure he was still able to see my embarrassment.

"How do you feel?" he repeated the question.

I thought about his question, my hand moving of its own accord to where the bloody wound should have been on the side of my neck. But there was nothing. Just like that knife wound, as I traced my fingers over my neck, there was no sign that I had even been bit. But I knew that I had. I remembered the pain. I remembered the fear that had shot through me as that vampire attacked me in hopes of draining the life force right out of me. I shuddered at the thought, and I felt his hand return to my cheek, his thumb brushing away the tears I hadn't even realized had escaped.

"Shh, you're safe now little one. No one will hurt you." He reassured, his cool lips brushing across my forehead. "You're safe."

"W-What happened?" I questioned, still unable to remember much of what happened.

"You don't remember?" he sounded worried.

I shook my head but knew that he would be able to see it even though the room was impossibly dark.

"Stan found you and stopped Damien before he could drain you. I'm truly sorry, Taylor. I had promised you you would be safe in my home and then this happened. I hope you can forgive me one day." He sounded so sad, and I was sure that if I had been able to see his expression clearly, that depressed look would be back in those dazzling eyes.

"It wasn't your fault, Godric." I tried to assure him, not wanting him to feel guilty over something he couldn't prevent. That vampire, he hadn't cared at all that Godric had brought me here, that I was under the Sheriff's protection. He had attacked me because of the smell of my blood. I doubt he was any older or stronger than Godric was, but if he had wanted my blood, he would have found a way to get it one way or another.

"It is. I shouldn't have left you alone. I never should have brought you here in the first place." He sighed, his hand moving off my cheek as he shifted and the faint outline moved out of eyesight.

"Godric?" I felt a panic in my heart as I shoved myself up into a sitting position, my head moving all around in search of the ancient vampire. "Godric where did you go?"

"If I hadn't of gotten to you in time, you would have..." he trailed off, and from the sound of his voice, I was able to pinpoint he was somewhere across the room pacing. "I wasn't able to protect you against those men, and I hadn't been able to do so in my own home. This is why you should not have befriended me, Taylor."

"Hey." I threw my legs over the side of the bed and unsteadily got to my feet. I couldn't see a thing, and I was sure I looked mental with my hands thrown out in front of me, but I was determined to find Godric, to reason with him. "None of that was your fault, Godric. Don't blame yourself, I don't."

"I never should have seen sought you out. I knew it was dangerous." He was speaking more to himself now, chiding himself for befriending me. "I should have stayed away. You would have been safe then."

"But I wouldn't have been happy." I pointed out. "Godric you're the only one who hasn't treated me like some freak. I think you're the first real friend I've ever had. I'm not sorry that I met you."

"You should be. I'm a monster. We're all just monsters." There was a gust of wind before I felt hands suddenly on my arms. I tried blinking, to strain my vision until I was able to see him as clearly as I possibly could in the dark room. "You shouldn't have come here, Taylor. You never should have saved a monster like me."

"You're not a monster."

"I am!" He gripped tightly onto my arms, causing me to stifle a wince. "That's all I am. I'm a monster, one that will hurt you. I cannot let that happen. I cannot let my own selfish desires bring you any harm. I won't allow it."

"Godric, will you just listen to me? I don't care what you are. You are not a monster. You're..."

"I never wished to do this, but it is the only way." I didn't know what he was talking about and I began to grow worried. Why wasn't he listening to me? I didn't blame him for what happened. I didn't blame him for anything. In fact, besides the few life and death situations I had found myself in, these past few weeks have been the happiest weeks I've ever had. I didn't want this to end. I didn't want Godric to push me away because of this. He was the only one who saw me for who I was, not for some freak curse I had been born with.

"Godric just stop and listen to me, please." I pleaded with him.

"I'm sorry. I'm truly sorry. But this is the only way to ensure your safety." There was sorrow in his voice as his hands suddenly left me, only for the lights to turn on in a flash. Before I even knew what was going on, Godric was back standing in front of me, a dimmed light now filling the room. I had to blink to adjust to the new light, my eyes roaming over the surroundings. Before I could see too much of the bedroom however, Godric had clasped a finger under my chin and forced our gazes to meet.

"Godric what are you doing?" My heart was racing again, my breathing starting to match its pace. "Godric you're starting to scare me."

"I'm sorry, little seer." There was such sadness in his blue orbs as he looked me straight in the eye. I felt magnetized to his gaze, unable to look anywhere but at those eyes. They had always been so captivating, but even more so in that moment. I couldn't think of anything but of Godric. I couldn't even move a muscle. I was entranced by those eyes, unable to blink even once as suddenly my body fell into a relaxed state. I tried to speak, but found I had no voice. All I could do was stare silently into those eyes, waiting for what would happen next. "You will forget me, Taylor. You will forget the reason you came here to Dallas. You will forget the nights we spent together. I do not exist. You came here on a whim, but do not remember why. You will not remember me. You will leave this house, return to your hotel and pack before returning home. Do understand?"

My head was swimming, I couldn't think straight. Part of me thought what he was saying was a good idea. I even found myself nodding without a sound. I was going to leave. I wasn't going to remember who this...no no no, stop. I had to stop. I had to think straight, I had to stop this. What was he doing? What was he saying? He wanted me to forget him? He wanted me to forget all of this? But why? Why was he saying those things and why did I feel the sudden need to follow his demand. But I couldn't. I didn't want to forget Godric. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to go back home. I wanted to stay here, right here in this house until I figured out what the hell Godric was doing to me.

"Stop it." I finally mumbled, my head shaking as I broke eye contact. "What are you doing to me?"

The hand clasped under my chin fell back to his side, his eyes growing wide as he took a step back. I looked at him in confusion, a headache starting to amount as I fought to understand what was going on. And that's when it clicked. I had heard of a vampire's ability to control a human's mind. They were able to make you say or do whatever they wanted you to. I had never experienced it before, never having met a vampire before Godric. But I had never thought Godric would use that on me. I never thought he would try and control me, use his abilities to alter my memory. But that was exactly what he was doing.

"You were doing that thing." I took a step away from him myself, my eyes growing as wide as saucers. "You were trying to do that mind control thing you vampires can do."

"Impossible." He breathed out in awe. "Absolutely amazing. You much stronger than I would have thought."

"What are you talking about?" I asked curiously before reminding myself of what he had tried doing. "Why the hell were you doing that, Godric? Why would you do that to me? I thought we were friends."

Godric sighed as he bowed his head. "It would be safer for you, Taylor, if you had never met me."

"But I don't want that." I found myself growing angry. "I don't want to forget you. I don't want to forget any of this. Why would I?"

"If you had never met me, you wouldn't have found yourself in the situations you have. You would have been safe." He answered guiltily.

"But I don't care about that!" I threw my arms up in the air in frustration. "I came here to Dallas on my own accord, Godric. I could have figured the dream was just lying, that it wasn't going to happen. But I wanted to come here. I had to know. And I'm so happy that I did because meeting you, Godric, you have no idea how happy that's made me. And I know you don't know me, and I only know what I've dreamt, but that doesn't matter. Because you're the only one in the world who doesn't see me as some freak, who actually makes me feel normal. I don't want to lose that, not because of what some horrible people have tried to do."

He wouldn't look up at me, gazing down at the ground as if he was ashamed. Of what, I just wasn't sure anymore. My shoulders slumped forward as I took a step towards him. That only caused him to step back however, a frown forming on my lips.

"Godric, please just listen to me. I want to know you. I want to be here, okay? I don't blame you for anything. In fact, you've saved my life a grand total of what, four times now? I'm pretty sure I owe you my life right now. So don't you dare blame yourself. And don't you dare _ever_ trying that stunt again, do you hear me?" I gave him a stern look, even though he refused to look me in the eye. "Because _that_ I don't appreciate."

Godric let out a sigh before finally glancing up at me. The sorrow in his eyes broke my heart and I wanted to reach out to him. I even tried to, but he only held up a hand and shook his head.

"You are risking too much, Taylor. I cannot put you in harm's way any longer."

"Well you can't exactly force me to just disappear." I crossed my arms in determination. "Knowing me, I'll end up having a handy little dream and I'll just pop back up."

"You're making this difficult for me."

"You're making this extremely difficult for me too, Godric." I narrowed my eyes. "So just stop, alright? I want to know you, Godric. Please just believe that."

"But tonight..."

"Tonight a true monster attacked me. Just like last night, true monsters attacked me. But you are not a monster, Godric. Not all vampires are evil, just like not all humans are good. It's the balance of life, good and bad. You can't have one without the other." I ignored his protest and raised a hand to cup his cheek. "Will you just listen to me, for once? I know I'm just a kid; I'm just a silly little human girl. But I'm not an idiot, Godric. I get that there are evil vampires out there. I met one last night. But you have to realize that you're not one of those vampires, Godric. You're good. You need to believe that, because everyone else does."

We just stared at one another for what felt like a lifetime. He just stared down at me, his blue orbs boring into my brown ones. I was worried for a moment that he would continue to insist that we cannot be friends, that I had to leave and forget him. But I was surprised when he merely nodded, his eyes closing as his head turning slightly towards the hand cupping his cheek. I couldn't help but smile, the joy filling me knowing that I had won this argument, that he wouldn't continue to push me away. At least not anytime soon that is. I was sure we would find ourselves having this conversation quite a few times. But I wouldn't budge. Godric meant a great deal to me after only a few weeks. It seemed almost impossible that I could feel this strongly towards anyone, human or vampire, after knowing them for such a short amount of time. But I didn't regret meeting Godric, and I certainly didn't regret continuing this friendship.

"Now, want to explain to me what the hell you were trying to do to me?" I asked, allowing myself to be curious.

"Vampires can glamour humans." he explained, his eyes opening and meeting mine. "I thought...I thought it would be easier, safer for you if I were to glamour you to forget me."

"Well that was an idiotic idea." I shook my head, my hand falling back down to my side. Except it never reached my side and instead, Godric clasped his hand around mine. My cheeks were flaming as he brought my hand up, kissing every one of my knuckles before releasing the hand.

"Yes, I can see now that it was not a well thought out plan." Godric nodded. "Especially as it didn't work."

"Why is that anyways?" I wondered. "I mean, I felt something, like I wanted to agree, that I wanted to do as you said. But then another part of me realized what you were doing and was trying to fight it."

"I had never attempted to glamour the other seers. They had given me a place of shelter during the time I had known them, and at that time, I had begun to realize that the ways of a vampire were beginning to bore me. I suppose even if I had attempted to do such, it wouldn't have worked." He looked at me in interest, causing me to blush even more. "You continue to intrigue me, little one."

"Hopefully in a good way." I began fidgeting in front of him.

"In the best of ways." His lips twisted into a smile. "Only in the best of ways."

I had to look away, not able to take looking into those bright eyes any longer. I knew I wouldn't be able to control myself. I hadn't forgotten about that dream. I had never had such an erotic dream before. Hell, before Godric, I had never had a single erotic thought about anyone before. This was such new territory for me. Maybe I was naive, maybe I was some little innocent girl who had no idea what she was thinking, but I had to admit that what I felt during that dream, it did feel nice. I had never had a man touch me in such ways. I hadn't even thought about anyone using me in such pleasurable acts. But that dream, it had opened up a whole new door, welcoming me with thoughts and desires I didn't even think were possible. Even as I stood there in front of Godric, all I could think of was how nice it would feel to have his strong hands running up and down my body...

"I think perhaps I should explain what exactly occurred after you were attacked." I snuck a glance up at Godric only to find him smiling down at me knowingly, as if he knew exactly what I was thinking and feeling.

"O-okay." I nodded.

"Sit." He motioned towards the bed.

I quickly sat down, though a part of me was hesitant. What exactly had happened to me? I felt perfectly fine, other than all of these new feelings and emotions rushing through me like a freight train.

"Okay, hit me with it." I nodded for him to continue.

He looked at me oddly for a moment, as if he didn't understand what I meant before he shook his head and began to explain everything.

"As I said before, Damien had nearly drained you when Stan had stopped him. You were losing consciousness when Isabel and I found you. You would have died if I hadn't of acted quickly enough." Godric, the two thousand year old vampire, actually looked nervous. Why was he nervous? It wasn't like he could have done anything horrible, I was alive wasn't I?

"You saved my life, Godric." I tried to assure him.

Godric sighed. "I had to give you my blood."

"Your blood?" my eyebrows furrowed, not understanding what he was saying. "You gave me your blood?"

"When you were wounded by that knife the other night, I used my blood to heal the wound. However, that wound wasn't deep and didn't require a great deal of blood to heal. Because of that, you didn't need to ingest any of my blood to heal."

"Okay..." I was fidgeting with my hands in my lap, trying to make sense of everything. "I don't understand what this has to do with what happened."

"You were dying, Taylor." He sat down beside me on the bed, his hands grasping mine. "The only way to ensure you wouldn't was to have you drink my blood."

My eyes grew wide. "I drank your...your blood?"

"yes." He was searching my face for my reaction. "It was the only way to save your life, Taylor. I wish there had been another way, but there wasn't. I'm truly sorry."

I nodded, not knowing what to say. So he gave me his blood. I wasn't sure how I felt about that. On one hand, it saved my life. And I don't even remember it, so I couldn't exactly say it was disgusting or horrible. It worked like a miracle and healed me better than any modern medicine could possibly have. And it wasn't like it was the first time. He had healed that knife would with his blood when I had been attacked by those men. The only difference was that he had used his tongue to lick the blood into my wound instead of having me drink any large amount.

But on the other hand, a small little part of me wondered what exactly this meant. I had heard about V, about vampire blood being an addictive drug that the hardcore drug users and abusers sought out to get high. As he had to give me a good amount of blood to ensure I lived, would this mean I would find myself addicted to it? Would anything change because of it?

"What does it mean?" I pulled myself out of my thoughts and asked Godric, hoping for answers that I would come to understand.

"By ingesting my blood, you will find your senses are heightened." He began explaining.

"Like how I was sort of able to see you even though the room had been completely dark." I nodded, remembering how I thought that had been odd. I didn't exactly have horrible eyesight before, but I had always been terrible at seeing in the dark.

"You will be able to see, hear, and possible even smell better than you would have before."

"Okay, well that's not too bad. What else?"

He sighed. "You may find that you're stronger while the blood is still in your system."

"Again, that's not too horrible. Is there anything else? How long does your blood stay in my system exactly?" I asked curiously.

"With the amount you needed to ingest, it may be a few months before the initial effects wear off." He admitted, his blue eyes looking away in shame. "But that is not all."

"Okay, tell me." I inhaled sharply, wondering what else his blood could do to me. A few months of heightened senses wasn't too bad, but by the look on his face, I knew there was much worse to come.

"Your libido will be heightened as well." I was sure that if he was human, he would be blushing right now. God knows I was. At least that explained why I was suddenly feeling the strange desire to want to jump him and take him right here and now. "As well as you may experience certain...dreams."

Now my face was burning red. Dreams? As in erotic dreams like the one I had just experienced?

Oh crap.

"I'm afraid that is not all." He shook his head.

"Okay." I nodded, though I wasn't sure how much more I could take. Heightened senses, yes that wasn't too horrible. My libido suddenly sky rocketing, it wasn't exactly desired but I could live with it. Erotic dreams popping up every so often, that was a bit embarrassing, but eventually they would just stop occurring, right?"

"While my blood may leave your system after a few months, I'm afraid that the bond has already begun."

"Bond?" I looked confused now. "What do you mean a bond?"

"A true blood bond can take up to at least three exchanges of blood between a vampire and a human, but it only takes once for it to begin." He risked looking down at me. "While your heightened senses, and even your libido, will eventually return to normal, certain aspects, such as the dreams, will remain for much longer."

"Begin? What do you mean for a bond to begin? And what other certain aspects are you talking about?" I could feel my heart beginning to race. "Godric?"

"I am sorry about this, truly I am." He squeezed my hands gently before continuing. "We're connected now, in a way that I've only been connected to one other in my life, and that is with the vampire I had turned over a thousand years ago."

"Godric, you're not answering my questions." I pressed. "What exactly does this bond mean?"

"We're connected by our blood. I've ingested yours when I had healed your knife wound and you've ingested mine."

"I get the details." I was beginning to get agitated now. "What does this mean? What exactly is a bond?"

He closed his eyes, and I knew this was difficult for him to say. "I will be able to feel your emotions."

I took a double take. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I will be able to feel your emotions." He still couldn't look at me. "I'll also know where you are at all times, no matter the circumstance."

I felt frozen to the spot, not sure what to say, or hell, even what to think. While I was glad I was sitting here in front of Godric, alive and well, it was just a bit too much to comprehend after I had nearly been killed. For a second night in a row. I didn't regret that he saved me, not at all. It was just shocking to hear that another individual, a vampire at that, would now always be able to feel my emotions, to know where I was. The latter didn't bother me, in fact, considering my history of finding trouble, it was actually quite a good thing. But being able to feel my emotions? I hardly even knew what the heck I was feeling half of the time. One minute I was scared out of my mind, and the next I wanted to have sex with a vampire. My emotions my entire life have always been frazzled and all over the place. And now he would know exactly what I was feeling, all the time? I wasn't so sure I was thrilled with that.

"I know it's a lot to progress. And I wish it hadn't of come to this. But do know, Taylor, that I do not regret giving you my blood. While I wish things could have been different, it did save your life, and for that I'm grateful." He squeezed my hands again, his eyes opening and boring into me.

I nodded, though I still wasn't able to speak.

"This must be a lot to process, and I'm sorry for that." His thumb began stroking the palm of my hand, trying to calm down the rapid emotions that now he too could feel. I don't think I would ever get used to that.

"I just..." I tried to explain what was going on in my head, but it was just impossible. I needed a moment to just figure everything out, to understand all that's happened in the past few days. "I'm just confused."

"I can understand that." Godric nodded. "You have all the time in the world to come to terms with this. And do know that I will not take advantage of this bond we now share. I think very highly of you, Taylor, that will not change."

The gears in my head were turning a mile a minute, trying to process everything he had told me. I never thought merely ingesting vampire blood would be this confusing.

"How long?" I found myself asking without even thinking. "How long will it last, the bond I mean?"

"Some of the side effects will waver with time, but the bond itself...that will last until one of us is no more."

"Oh." My heart felt like a hundred pound weight as it was pounding in my chest.

"Perhaps I should give you some time to yourself." He let go of my hands and stood.

"What time is it?" I asked, realizing there were no windows in the room and I hadn't seen a clock

"It's past dusk." He informed me.

I did the math before my eyes grew wide. "I was unconscious for nearly an entire day?"

"You were." He nodded. "I was worried that the blood hadn't worked like it was supposed to. I waited by your side for hours, hoping you would finally awake. I was ever so glad when you did, little one."

That headache I had felt earlier when he had tried to glamour me, it was only growing worse by the second now. I rubbed my forehead as I sighed, my eyes closing while I tried to keep myself calm, tried to understand everything.

"I'll leave you for a bit. There's a bathroom through those doors." He motioned to a set of doors behind him. "Feel free to take a shower to clean yourself up. I'll be in the living room should you need me."

"Okay." Was all I could say as he leaned down, his lips brushing across my forehead softly before he used his speed to exit the room in a hurry, leaving me absolutely alone to try and figure out what in the world had happened in the past 48 hours.


	10. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine:**

An hour passed since Godric left the bedroom, since he left me alone with my thoughts. I had cleaned up as best as I could while I was awed at the sheer size of the bathroom attached to the bedroom. It was at least twice the size of the bathroom last night, probably close to the size of my bedroom back home. The shower itself was humongous, and looked like it would have been amazing to try. But I had been too shy to do so, and just used a cloth to wipe away what blood I could. I wetted my hair, and used my fingers to comb out the blood. I still looked a complete mess, but I didn't feel like death himself any longer. It would have to do until I returned to my hotel room, where the first thing I would do would be to strip down and have the longest shower of my life.

After the hour had passed and I was left alone in the bedroom, sitting on the comfortable bed with a wave of exhaustion setting over me, I wondered where Godric was. I tried my hardest not to let my thoughts wander. I wasn't sure how I felt about this new bond, these new traits I would find myself having for the time being. And I wasn't sure I wanted to know how I felt, at least not right now. I had gone through so much in the past 48 hours. I was attacked by potential rapists, stabbed, and nearly drained by a psychotic vampire. I hadn't exactly had a moment to even try and process anything that's happened, and in one way, I was glad for that. Because if I thought about it longer than a split second, I knew I would burst out crying. And I didn't want that at all. The longer I could bundle these boiling emotions together and shove them away, the better.

"So...what now?" I murmured to myself, running a hand through my slightly damp hair, pulling it over one shoulder. I was still wearing the blood stained dress, and while I looked like the complete mess that I felt like, it wasn't like I had many other options. I was hoping to go back to my hotel room soon enough anyways, wanting to just curl up in bed and sleep for an eternity. If Godric didn't return soon, I was sure I would end up falling asleep right here and now, and as I wasn't sure exactly whose bedroom I was currently in, I didn't want that to happen.

After a few more minutes passed, I had to stand, a sigh emitting from my lips. I began pacing the length of the room, my eyes roaming over the minimalistic design. I was getting stir crazy. Where was that vampire when you needed him?

"Oh this is ridiculous." I muttered as I tugged on the ends of my hair before shrugging and beginning towards the bedroom door. I wasn't sure what time it was, but Godric had told me it was past dusk, meaning other vampires would be awake. I should have been afraid to wander around a house full of vampires alone; after all, I had nearly died by the hands of one last night. But I found that I wasn't. Sure, there was a surge of fear that shot through me as I eased open the door. However, I had enough sense to know that Godric would have ensured that the vampire from last night wouldn't still be here, and I doubt from the events that had occurred, any other vampire would try and attack me.

So for that reason alone, I took a tentative step out of the bedroom and into the dimly lit hallway. I looked from left to right, not sure which way to go. Godric had said he would be in the living room, which I assumed to be where we had been sitting last night. But how did I get there from here? All of the hallways looked exactly the same, and as I began down the hallway, taking a turn here and there, I realized that I was quickly becoming lost. I thought about going back to the bedroom, but I knew I wouldn't even remember how to find my way back. So I just continued through the home, praying I wouldn't stumble upon any vampires, or at least any other than Isabel, and possibly even Stan.

I wasn't sure how to feel about Stan now after last night. He had swept in and stopped the vampire from killing me. If he hadn't shown up when he had, I wasn't sure if I would have been standing here. Godric wouldn't have made it in time, that was for sure. But it was still Stan. He had nearly attacked me himself weeks ago, and only hadn't because Godric showed up to stop him. And I was certain the only reason he didn't attack me now was because in some way, and whether he admitted it or not, he both feared and respected Godric. Perhaps I was just indifferent. I was thankful that he had appeared when he had, but I wouldn't exactly enjoy being in his presence.

Shaking my head, I concentrated on where I was going. I was about to just give up and hope Godric found me eventually, when I started to recognize my surroundings. Though I found that I wished I didn't. I stopped in my tracks as I looked down the hallway I had just turned into, my heart dropping as I stared at the exact spot on the wall I had been shoved up against as that vampire nearly drained me. I shuddered at the memory, at the pain that had cursed through my body. I never expected to be bitten by a vampire, and never thought it would be so painful. It was certainly a memory I hoped I would forget quickly.

"Taylor?"

I jumped when I felt the icy cold hand fall onto my shoulder. I had been so lost in thought, staring down the hallway, that I hadn't realized that I was no longer alone. I laid a hand over my racing heart as I twisted around, relieved to find that it was only Godric standing there, his eyes resting solely on where my heart laid. He could hear it clear as day, that much I knew. I wonder how difficult it was, for a vampire like him to be around a human like me. He had told me on occasion that I smelt different, that I even tasted different. Was my blood more intoxicating than regular old human blood? Was it harder to control himself because of it? I never thought that my blood, my being around him as much as I had been, would be difficult for him at all.

"I felt your sadness and I wanted to ensure that you were alright. I apologize for scaring you." He lifted his gaze to meet mine.

"How did you...oh, right." I shook my head, nearly forgetting about the bond that would now allow Godric to know every single emotion that ran through me, no matter how minimal. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that."

"I'm truly sorry I put you in this position, little one." He sighed, his head bowing in sadness.

I frowned as the guilt crossed his face. As confusing as this was, to now have some unexplainable blood bond with a vampire I barely even knew, I could see that the guilt was tearing Godric apart. And I hated that. He must have thought I was ungrateful, that I hated him for this. And sure, I was scared about what this would mean in the future, but I didn't blame him, I didn't hate him at all. How could I? This was the vampire that had saved my life. I owed him everything.

"Hey," I clasped my finger under his chin, and used all the strength in the world to lift his stubborn gaze. "I don't blame you at all, Godric."

"If I hadn't of brought you here, you never would have been attacked, and I never would have created this bond." There was a sadness in his eyes that just broke my heart completely. "If I hadn't allowed myself to be drawn to you, if I had only distanced myself like I had planned then..."

"Oh stop that, Godric." I scolded him, my frown deepening. "Don't talk like that."

"You wouldn't have faced the danger that you have." He took a step back, my hand falling back down to my side.

"Nonsense. I'm a magnet for trouble. I would have found it with or without you around." I rolled my eyes. "Don't blame yourself, Godric, please. This was not your fault. I don't blame you, not for a single thing."

"You should. You should be disgusted with me, with what I am." He looked away, his disgust at himself crossing his face. "I'm a monster that you never should have befriended, Taylor."

"Don't start that, Godric. How could I possibly be disgusted with the man that saved my life a grand total of what, four times now?" I shook my head in disbelief. It was amazing how self conscious Godric was for a two thousand year old vampire. He thought so little of himself; he actually reminded me a lot of myself. He seemed to think I was such a special girl, but I only thought of myself as some cursed freak who only wanted to be normal. But maybe that was why we were brought together. Maybe we were meant to aid one another in believing in ourselves, to realize that we were much more than what just met the eye.

"You never would have required help if you hadn't of met me."

"I don't regret it, any of it." I assured him, taking a step forward to close the distance between us. "I don't regret ever having dreams about you, Godric. I don't regret making the split second decision to jump on a plane to come here, only to save your life. I don't regret that at all. And I certainly don't regret anything that's happened since I've been here."

"I should have Isabel return you to your hotel." Godric turned away.

"Godric, will you just listen to me?" I threw my hand out, resting it on his cold muscular arm. He froze at the contact, his gaze falling to where my hand was touching his arm. I was afraid he would only push me away, but I was surprised when he merely just stared down at my hand. "I don't want to go back to the hotel. Well I do, but not for this reason. I know I don't seem very appreciative that you saved my life, and I'm sorry about that. I was just...confused and I guess a bit scared what this whole bond thing meant. But I'm forever grateful, Godric, that you gave me your blood. Because I'd rather have this new confusing bond with a pretty fantastic vampire right now, than be six feet under."

"If you never had..."

"No, let me finish, Godric." I shook my head, cutting him off. "Let me just say this, please."

When he didn't respond, didn't look up at me, I took that as a sign to continue.

"I don't want to die, Godric. I'm only 18. I've barely lived. Actually, I haven't really lived at all until I flew here on a whim. Being here in Dallas, it's pretty much the wildest thing I've ever done, and I love it. I don't regret anything because for the first time in my life, I'm doing something not because it's expected of me, or because it would get my mother's approval. I'm doing this because I want to, because it's want I want. You have no idea how liberating that is, how happy I've been since I've gotten here. Mind you, being attacked by large rapists and psychotic vampires weren't exactly in the plan, but besides that, I've had the best time here, Godric. I've had the best time with you."

His gaze finally rose, his electric blue orbs meeting mine. I couldn't read the expression on his face, I couldn't understand what was going through that head of his. I wished I could have just shaken him and demanded him to tell me what was on his mind. But he was a vampire, and after all, a man, and I doubt that would ever happen.

"I would take having this blood bond a thousand times over if it meant I was standing here right now in front of you. Because I don't want to die. Not for a very very long time and you made sure that didn't happen. You gave me a second chance at life, for the fourth time, and you have no idea how grateful I am." I could feel tears springing to my eyes but I blinked them away. Now was not the time to start crying, it would only confuse Godric. "I'm not going to lie, I'm scared of the bond we have. I'll admit that. You can feel everything. You can feel every little emotion that I do, and that scares the hell out of me."

"Why?" He asked softly, his eyes searching mine. "What scares you so much, little one?"

"I've kept people out for so long. I've had to. I couldn't let them know what I was thinking. I knew what they said about me. I knew that they all thought I was some freak, some crazy person who they all thought should be locked up somewhere. I was always so afraid of saying something that I had dreamt and had yet to happen, that I just kept to myself. I built these walls around myself, around my emotions for so long, that I pushed everyone away. You're the first person I could call a true friend, Godric. And that's the truth. You're the first person in god even knows when that has stuck around for this long. And I know it's hard for you, and part of you either wants to drink my blood, or just run in the other direction. And I'm extremely happy you've stayed. Because you're the only one to not think of me as some freak."

"You're not a freak, little one." Godric shook his head.

"See, you're the only one to ever tell me that. Not even parents ever said it out loud. So despite the fact that I'm scared of letting you in, for you to know every single emotion that goes through this crazy head of mine, part of me is actually relieved, happy even. I've lived this way for so long, that to be honest, it'll be nice to not have to try so hard. Because I have a friend now who I can be honest with, who I can just let my true self show. Blood bond or not, I'm glad it's you Godric. I'm glad you saved my life, and I'm glad I have a bond with you." A small smile crossed my face.

Godric stared at me for the longest time, as if he was trying to make a decision. I hoped, prayed even, that he would consider everything that I've said and not push me away. Because here I was, terrified at letting another person in, to confess everything to, and I was willing to give this friendship a try. Why couldn't he?

"It's dangerous," he spoke, as if trying to change my mind. "Being friends with a vampire, that is."

"And its dangerous walking down the street, remember?" my smile grew. "I shouldn't be friends with you, you're right. I mean, a human shouldn't be friends with a vampire, right? All the warning signs are going off, and I'm just not listening to them."

"Why not?" he wondered.

"Because I don't want to be alone anymore." I admitted, the tears returning to my eyes. I let my gaze fall to the ground, only for Godric to cup my cheek and raise my orbs to meet his. "I don't want to feel like I'm some freak who doesn't deserve even a friend. I don't want to be afraid to be who I am. Because I've hidden myself off for so long, trying to be who everyone else wants me to be. But I haven't been me. I haven't been the person I'm supposed to be. I used to think I was cursed before I met you, Godric. But you've made me realized that this isn't a curse. This is a gift. I was given this ability to see the future, to have visions, for a reason. Who am I to change that? There was a reason I was given this. There was a reason I had dreams of you. There was a reason why we met, I know it. and the only way I'm going to figure this all out, is here with you, not home on some farm in the middle of nowhere with people who think I'm insane."

His thumb caressed my cheek, brushing away the tear I hadn't realized had escaped. I felt myself enjoying his touch, the tension in my body leaving almost immediately at the soft caresses.

"So please, Godric. Don't push me away. Don't try to tell me that I shouldn't be here, because I want to be. I could leave at any time but I'm not. I'm scared, yes, but that's why I befriended a nice strong vampire, so I would have someone to fight off all my worries." I raised my hand, my fingers intertwining with his. "If you do try and push me away, I'll just keep coming back. I'm persistent; you should know that about me. I don't give up. Especially not on some stubborn vampire who doesn't realize he's an amazing person."

I was surprised as he clasped his hand around mine, bringing both of our intertwined hands up until his lips brushed cross the palm of my hand.

"I will protect you with all of my being, I promise you that."

I couldn't help but grin. "Does this mean you're going to stop being stubborn now?"

"I don't suppose you'll take no for an answer, will you?" the tiniest smile began crossing his lips, and I almost wanted to jump up and down in triumph.

"Nope." I shook my head, grinning from ear to ear.

"You are certainly different from every other human in this world, little seer." He mused, drawing closer. Our hands remained clasped together at our sides, and it was surprising to me how well my hand fit into his. It was almost as if our hands were made especially for one another.

"Different good, I hope."

"Different in all the best of ways." He nodded, his smile growing. It was a beautiful smile, one that I wanted to see for the rest of my life. "I have something for you."

"You do?" I raised an eyebrow.

Godric nodded as he gently tugged my hand, beginning to lead me down the hallway and away from the scene of last night's events. The moment we had turned a corner, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders and I felt extraordinarily happy. I should have been curled up into a ball crying my eyes out after what happened last night. And any ordinary person wouldn't have been wandering the halls of this large home with a vampire they called a close friend. But I wasn't exactly ordinary, and I never had been. I was special, different, and for the first time in my life, I saw that as a good thing. Because it brought me to Godric. It brought me to this vampire who I never would have met otherwise. And having him in my life, even if it had been a short amount of time, I've realized that I never want to lose him. He's become that staple that I just desperately needed as much as I needed the air to breathe and water to drink. He was here now, in my life, and no matter how stubborn and hard headed he was, I would never let that change.

Because I could be just as stubborn, just as hard headed.

I was lost in thought as Godric led me through his home, and was only brought back to the present when Godric came to a stop outside of a closed door. I blinked, focusing on the door as he slowly drew it open and motioned me inside. My eyes grew wide at the sight of the room. It was so different than the rest of the house. Every single piece of furniture and trinket looked as if it came from centuries past. Nothing was new or modern, everything had years of life within it. The ornate desk to one side was worn, but held its own beauty. One wall alone was filled entirely with dark bookcases filled to the brim with ancient texts that I was certain I wouldn't be able to read a single word of. Everything about this room was just stunning, and I knew right away that this was Godric's office. This felt more like the vampire standing beside me. This was exactly how I pictured a home of his to be decorated. Godric didn't seem like one of those vampires that would surge into the 21st century with delight. He was from a much different time, a simpler, more appreciative time. It only made me wonder more about the vampire than before.

"I feel like I just stepped into a history textbook." I whispered, as if talking any louder would disrupt the room. It was almost as if I was in a museum, rare and unique artefacts all around me. "Is this all yours?"

"Yes, it's what I've collected over the years." Godric nodded as he closed the door behind us and wandered over to his desk. He began searching the drawers for whatever it was that he had to give me, and I found myself drawn to the bookcases. I had always been a fan of books. Reading was a way to escape from my own world and into another. In the world of fiction, nothing was impossible. I felt right at home alongside of the characters I envied. I wasn't different, I wasn't unusual. I fit right in. and I never felt that way before, not in the real world. Well not until now that is. Godric made me feel more alive, more normal than I've ever felt before.

"You have so many." My eyes roamed over the spines of each book, some too dusty and worn to read the titles, and others were scribed in a different language, some I didn't even believe existed any longer.

"Those are only a few of many." He admitted. "I have others littered across the world in my many homes."

"Many homes?" I raised an eyebrow as I turned to him. "You have more than one home?"

"As a vampire, it's important to have safe houses." Godric explained, walking around his desk with a worn journal in his hands. It was beautiful. It was bound in old leather that looked like it could have fallen apart at any moment. I was hesitant as he held it out for me, laying it in my outstretched hands. I was too afraid of it falling, of it coming apart at the seams and destroying a part of Godric's history.

"What is it?" I asked curiously, peering down at the journal, barely moving a muscle as I did so.

"It's a journal of mine." He stared at me in amusement. "It won't bite, Taylor."

"Oh, I just..." my cheeks grew red. "It looks so beautiful and old; I just don't want to wreck it."

He chuckled. "It's one of many from my past. I found it was needed to write down the knowledge I learned, the people that I met, so I wouldn't forget anything that occurred in my immortal life. They serve as great reminders of who I used to be, and who I wish not to become."

I ran a hand over the leather bound journal, only imagining what could be written within these pages.

"This particular one is from my time spent with the seers. I thought perhaps what I have written in here could aid you. I know that you wish to know more of what you are, of what you can do."

I looked up at him in surprise. I knew he was the key to finding out more of what I was. But I suppose a part of me was wondering if that would ever truly happen, if I would ever find out about the power that lied inside of me. But within my hands were the answers, or at least, some of them. And I couldn't have been happier. I was so happy, so relieved that there had been an answer to my prayers, that I felt tears form in my eyes, and no amount of blinking or willing would send them away.

"Why are you crying, little one?' Godric sounded concerned as his eyes searched my face for some sort of answer as to why I was emotional. "Are you upset? Did I do something to hurt you?"

"No, I'm just..." I looked back down at the journal in my hands and fought back the urge to want to hug it tightly, to never let it go. "I'm just really happy, that's all."

"Then why do you cry?" he seemed confused. "Tears are for sadness, not for joy."

I couldn't help but laugh. Godric was over two thousand years old, and yet he sounded as clueless as any other man in the world.

"I'm not crying because I'm upset, I'm crying because I'm happy." I raised a hand to wipe away the tears, only Godric got there first, his cold fingertips swiping away the few tears as they fell. I watched as he curiously brought the tear coated fingers up to his lips, his tongue darting out to taste the salty liquid. I found myself blushing as I just watched him, absolutely fascinated by his intrigue. And I wasn't sure if it was due to his blood or not, but I found my body growing incredibly hot, the desires I hadn't been able to understand for the past few weeks shooting through me with vigour. I tried to hide my burning face with my hair, but he wouldn't allow it. Godric cupped my cheek with his other hand, his thumb caressing the smooth skin as if he was afraid I would just break apart at any moment.

"I've never befriended a human like I have you." Godric admitted, his voice soft as he looked me in the eye. I felt my knees grow weak as I stared into those orbs as if I was staring straight into the soul that I knew still remained within this vampire. He wasn't a monster, not like how he saw himself. He was a beautiful creature that I found myself being drawn to, never wanting to leave. And I knew that wasn't his blood talking. I knew that wasn't because of the bond we shared. I had felt this way long before that bond had ever been forged.

I found myself moving into his touch, my eyes closing as relaxation washed over me. I could have stayed in that position all night. His touch was soft and almost intoxicating. I never wanted his hand to leave my skin, for his touch to ever leave my body. I wanted more of it even. I wanted him to touch every inch of my...

I was almost thankful when Godric suddenly flashed away from me, only so I wouldn't have to finish that thought. I looked at the vampire strangely for a moment, trying to understand why he was now halfway across the room.

"Godric?" I frowned, taking a step forward. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." He assured, shaking his head as if he was trying to shake away whatever was wrong.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm perfectly fine." He offered me a smile, though he didn't close the distance between us at all. If anything, I was certain he was enlarging it. "I should take you back to your hotel, you're tired."

I couldn't exactly argue that. I was tired, exhausted actually. I would enjoy just curling up in bed for a couple of hours of peace and quiet.

"Just as long as you're alright." I stepped closer, wanting to make sure Godric wasn't suddenly second guessing his decision to no longer push me away. I didn't want to lose Godric just like that. I had made that clear tonight.

"I assure you, little one, that I'm fine." He nodded, allowing for the space between us to grow smaller and smaller until I was directly in front of him. "I'm just not used to being this close to another, especially a human. I'm afraid I'll..."

"You won't hurt me, Godric." I smiled up at him, slipping my hand into his. "You won't. You're not a monster, not like you think you are."

"I hope you won't judge me for who I once was when you read through this journal." He nodded at the leather bound book in my hands.

"Nothing you could do would ever scare me away, Godric." I assured him, squeezing his hand gently. "I'm pretty sure you're stuck with me for awhile, whether you like that or not."

"You don't know what I've done, little one. You shouldn't be so quick to judge."

"Whoever you were then, it's not who you are now. We all make mistakes, but it's how we move forward that shapes who we are. You're a good person, Godric. I hope one day I'll be able to make you believe that."

"Perhaps you should believe just how special you are yourself before you try and fix a vampire."

"I'd rather you be my little project than myself."

A small chuckle emitted from his lips, the tension leaving his shoulders.

"Now, I better get back to the hotel before I end up falling asleep here. I never knew how exhausted being attacked two nights in a row makes you." I tried to lighten the mood.

"I wouldn't mind." He whispered, his eyes meeting mine. "I certainly wouldn't mind that at all."

I shuddered at his tone, a blush rising over my entire body. There was just something in the way that he was staring at me that excited me, that made me feel things that I never even thought to be possible. And I knew deep down that not even his ancient vampire blood could have this effect of me. Oh no, this was all


	11. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten:**

I woke up in the late afternoon the next day. The moment Godric had brought me back to my hotel and had left, promising to meet me again tonight, I had discarded the bloody dress and jumped into the shower for a good half an hour. Once I started looking like a wrinkly prune, I hopped out and right into bed where I remained for a better part of the night and almost all day. I woke up however, feeling more refreshed than I had in a long time. It was unusual of course, considering everything that's happened in the past few days. But I could just feel like something good would come out of this all. Maybe that would just be the blossoming friendship with Godric, or maybe it would be something else entirely. But there was a feeling, deep down inside, that today was going to be a good day, and that brought the widest smile to my face.

I stayed in bed all afternoon, ordering room service and watching old classic movies. It was Sunday afternoon, and a small part of me wondered what my parents were doing right now. My mom, while she had been born and bred a city girl, had certainly taken up the ways of a country girl after enough years on my father's farm. She would cook us brunch every Sunday, and then she and my father would go into town to the farmers market, only to come back late in the evening with some new delicious buy that we would sample for desert. When I thought about those moments, those few and rare times that we acted as a family, like I wasn't some cursed freaked that my mother wished I hadn't become, I actually found myself missing my parents. We had been a family at some point. We had loved one another. And I knew that no matter what, my parents would always love me, despite how different I was. I knew my mother only wanted me to be happy, for me to not endure the torment I had during high school. She was only trying to protect me, and I suppose I never thought of it that way until now.

But that still didn't change anything. I needed to be here in Dallas, with Godric. This was where I was going to find out all the answers I had been seeking for. And I would, just as soon as I cracked open the journal Godric had lent me last night. I glanced over at it, watching as it rested on the nightstand. I was still terrified to open it. But it was not because of finding out about Godric's terrible past. In fact, part of me was scared of what I would find out about myself. What if I found something out that I didn't like, of the powers that I possessed? I so desperately wanted to know everything there was to know about what I was, what I could do. And yet, I was hesitant at the same time.

Maybe I just needed reassurance. It seemed I needed a lot of that these days, and Godric was always the one to give it to me.

I was broken out of my thoughts by the sound of the phone ringing. I reached over after a moment, trying to figure out who could possibly be calling, and picked the room phone up.

"Hello?"

"Good evening Ms. Edwards." It was the cheerful voice of one of the hotel staff members. "There's a package waiting for you here at the front desk."

"A package?" I raised an eyebrow. Why would there be a package waiting for me? I hadn't ordered anything, and Godric was the only one who knew I was staying here. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, ma'am, I am."

"Oh, well alright then. I'll be right down I guess." I hung up the phone, swinging my legs over the side of the bed, still confused as to what this package could possibly be.

I slipped on a pair of shoes and a sweater to toss on over my thin t-shirt as I wandered out of the hotel room and over to the elevator. The entire trip down to the lobby, I hadn't been able to come up with one probable reason why I would have a package arriving. All I could do now was just wait and see I suppose.

And hope it wasn't anything bad.

"Here you are Ms. Edwards." The staff member behind the desk held out a good sized rectangular box for me to take.

"Thanks." I nodded at them before cradling the box in my arms, wondering what in the world it could possibly be. It wasn't too heavy as I weighed it on my journey back up to my room. I shook it gently, but I couldn't hear much moving around. By the time I arrived at my room, the suspense was killing me. I just about ripped open the box, throwing the mounds of tissue paper onto the floor as I finally reached the content of the package. My eyes grew wide as my fingers lightly glided over the blue material. I was about to pull what I presumed to be a dress out of the box to get a better look at it when a piece of off white paper caught my eye. Intrigued, I picked the note up and wasn't surprised at all to find this gift was from Godric.

_Taylor,_

_I know I promised you that I would offer you no other gifts, but after the events of the other night, I wanted to replace the dress that was ruined. I hope you will accept this, and know that I am truly sorry you had to endure such a horrific attack. I promise you that I will protect you from this day forward with all of my heart._

_I hope to see you tonight at 8,_

_Godric_

Now the proud side of me should have been furious that Godric had bought me yet another dress. But the teenage girl that I was quickly pushed that part of me away and I squealed, pulling the dress right out of the box. I stood and held the dress to me, glancing into the mirror across the room. The dress looked beautiful. There were faint purple and darker blue splashes of colour littering the dress, a violet coloured belt encasing the middle. It was stunning, and I wondered if I would do this dress any justice. I knew right away however, that this would be what I would wear tonight, to show my appreciation to Godric for the thought. He didn't need to do this. I would have been perfectly alright without a replacement dress for the bloody one that I had already thrown away. I wasn't exactly a lover of dresses at all. But the fact that it was a gift from Godric, it only made me love it in a way that I never would have in the past.

"Oh no." I groaned, falling down onto the bed on my back, hugging the dress to me. "Oh this is so not good."

I couldn't believe this. It wasn't the dress; it wasn't anything specific that Godric's done. No, it was just everything together that somehow, in some way, caused me to feel this way. I knew for certain now how I felt, just like that. It was as if a switch went off in my head, dooming me for having these thoughts.

Oh I was falling for Godric.

I was falling for a vampire, a two thousand year old vampire.

And I was falling for him hard!

* * *

I was fidgeting nervously as I travelled down to the lobby that night in the elevator, my black jacket hanging open over the dress Godric had sent me. I was too nervous however, to even realize how perfect the dress hugged my figure, as if it had been made for me alone. I couldn't stop thinking about the realization from earlier. It was all I had been able to think about the entire evening. How could I have fallen for Godric? Was I a fool? I wasn't supposed to like him. I knew my feelings and desires towards him had been confusing since I met the vampire, but I never thought it would lead to anything. Especially this. Godric was my friend, someone who I truly saw as meaning a great deal to me. It wasn't only because we had forged a blood bond together. It wasn't because he was my knight in shining armour. It was because he had been the answer to my prayers. I had been searching my entire life for answers, and he seemed to be the only one who had what I had sought out for so long. But here I was, about to ruin it all with my damn teenaged emotions. Why couldn't I just nip these stupid feelings in the bud? I couldn't do anything about them. I couldn't let this ruin the close bond Godric and I shared.

"Stupid." I muttered to myself, shaking my head as the elevator doors slid open.

I sighed as I stepped out of the metal contraption and began towards the front entrance. I was able to spot Godric immediately, his back to me as he stood outside waiting. He was wearing his customary light grey linen pants, though he wore an off white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled up past his elbows. Even without seeing his front I thought he looked gorgeous. That thought drove me into a blushing spree, and I had to try and calm myself down before I left the confines of the hotel. But of course, because Godric was now able to tell where I was at all times, along with knowing every single emotion that ran through me, he had to of known I was there. And he did as he turned around, a warm smile gracing his lips as his eyes caught mine through the glass doors. I couldn't help but relax as I stared into those blue orbs, every single one of my thoughts just vanishing for the time being. I smiled back at the vampire as I went to push open the door, only for Godric to hold it open for me.

"Thanks." My smile grew as I stepped out into the cool Dallas night. "You look nice, Godric."

"And you look absolutely stunning." He breathed out, his eyes roaming over every inch of my body, causing my blush to deepen in colour. "You look beautiful in that dress, Taylor."

"Thank you for it by the way." My hands smoothed down the silky fabric of the dress. "It's beautiful."

"You're not fighting me?" he raised an eyebrow in surprise, amusement appearing in his striking blue eyes. "Will you finally allow me to shower you with gifts?"

I rolled my eyes at his teasing tone. "Ha ha, Godric, very funny. Normally I would be fighting you tooth and nail over this but...you're right, the other dress was sort of ruined. And this one is just...well it's the most beautiful dress I've ever seen in my life."

"I'm glad you like it." there was a hint of joy in his tone, and that only caused my happiness to grow.

As well as those pesky feelings towards him.

Oh I hated myself.

Couldn't I just be friends with Godric? Wasn't that enough? I had him in my life, after much deliberation and begging on my part. I couldn't ruin this now, not in such an idiotic way.

"Shall we?" Godric held out a hand for me to take.

"Where are we going?" I asked curiously as I slipped my hand into his. A shock ran right through my body the moment our hands touched, and I desperately hoped Godric hadn't seen me jump in surprise. If he had, he didn't mention it at all as he intertwined his fingers with mine, tugging me towards the sidewalk where a sleek silver sports car sat. My eyes grew wide when Godric pulled open the passenger door, motioning me in. it was odd to think of Godric driving. He was just so...well from a different time I suppose. And that was the truth. He was over two thousand years old. He was alive before the first working vehicle was even invented. And here he was, driving this expensive and rather gorgeous looking car. I was surprised, that's for sure.

"Dinner." Godric answered after he had closed the door after me and joined me in a flash inside of the car. I noted that Godric didn't bother to buckle up like I did. But then again, he was a vampire. I don't think being killed in a car accident was really his main fear.

"Dinner?" I raised an eyebrow. "But you can't...well, you can't really eat."

I blushed as I realized what I had said.

"I mean you eat, just not..." I trailed off, already embarrassing myself and we hadn't even been in each other's presence for more than five minutes.

"There is a restaurant on the other side of town that is vampire friendly." Godric explained, pressing his foot down on the gas as the car took off. I was glad I had safely tucked the seatbelt around me, as Godric drove in a way I expected most vampires drove; absolutely insane and reckless. Who would have thought the calm and collected Godric would have a need for speed?

"Well that's, cool?" I wasn't exactly fearing for my life as Godric drove in and out of traffic, but I was certainly holding on as if my life depended on it. "I never pegged you as one to drive. I know that's weird. I mean, we are in the 21st century and all, and I'm sure as a vampire, you adapt with the times. But...I don't even know where I'm going with this."

There was an amused smirk on Godric's face as his speed began to decrease, more for my benefit than anything. He knew I was nervous, that I wasn't exactly a fan of his fast pace driving.

"I prefer much simpler methods." Godric admitted. "I despise technology. I find humans have become too reliant on it. I came from a much simpler time."

"Yeah, you certainly didn't have texting back two thousand years ago, huh?" I gazed over at the vampire, still amazed that he had been alive for that amount of time.

"No we certainly did not." He shook his head, glancing over at me for a moment. "Is my driving worrying you, little one?"

"Huh? What, oh no, not at all." I shook my head, though I knew he knew I was lying.

His smirk grew and suddenly, we were taking back off down the street, the tires squealing on the road as he turned a corner, just barely missing a red light. My hands gripped onto the tops of my knees tightly as I tried to not let my anxiety show. If nothing else, this was at least getting the fact that I had fallen for Godric off my mind. I was too afraid I was going to die to possibly think about how I would really like to jump Godric now. Especially with how the top few buttons on his shirt were undone, showing off the tattoo trailing from one collar bone to the next. I even found myself staring at the tattoo in wonder, only to catch myself and quickly look away. I felt like a thirteen year old girl having her first real crush. And I suppose in a way, that's exactly what this was. I hadn't liked anyone before, not like this anyways. Sure there were little schoolgirl crushes here and there, but nothing like this. My heart was pounding so loudly I was positive that Godric could hear it as clear as day. There were butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, and I knew they weren't entirely due to Godric's driving abilities. They were because of the vampire beside me, who was wearing the most adorable smirk across those incredibly soft looking lips that I wouldn't mind...

"We're here." Godric broke me out of my thoughts, his gaze meeting mine. "Taylor? I hope I haven't scared you."

"Hm?" I blinked, turning my gaze out the window, only to realize we were sitting in the parking lot of a small Italian restaurant. "Oh."

Godric chuckled before a gust of wind blew my bangs right into my eyes, and I knew he had flashed out of the car. I was pressing my bangs back to the side when my door was pulled open, Godric holding out a hand for me like the gentleman that he was. I couldn't help but smile as I unbuckled my seatbelt and slid my hand back into his. I liked when our hands were intertwined, connected to one another. It felt like my hand belonged there in his, like this was exactly where I was supposed to be.

"This looks nice." I mused as we walked into the bistro, my eyes roaming every which way. Godric wasn't lying when he said this restaurant was vampire friendly. There were signs and posters littering the walls, all tasteful of course, encouraging vampires to enter and have a good time. I even spotted a few at a table near the window, sipping on their true bloods and talking as if they were the most normal creatures around. It was actually nice to witness. Humans and vampires were mingling with one another, not a single one freaking out over the other. I had never seen the two coexist so freely before, and it was definitely a nice change.

"Good evening, Mr. Godric." The hostess greeted with a bright smile, her eyes centered solely on Godric, not even giving me a glance. Well I couldn't exactly blame her. Godric was gorgeous, and even I wondered why he had chosen to have a fascination with me of all people. "You're usual table?"

"Yes please, Margret." Godric nodded, his hand slipping from mine, only to rise to my back, leading me along after the hostess. We travelled a short distance through the restaurant to a table secluded from all the others. Godric, again acting like a gentleman, pulled out the chair for me. I flashed the vampire a wide smile as I sat, the hostess all but throwing the menu at my face. I rolled my eyes at the girl who was trying desperately to flirt with Godric. He however, barely even looked at the girl, flashing to his seat in a blink of an eye and stared at me until she walked off in a huff.

"Oh she was totally trying to get in your pants." I snorted with a shake of my head.

"Hm?" Godric looked amused as he watched me. "Oh yes, I suppose so."

"Typical male." I rolled my eyes.

Godric's smile widened as he watched me look over the menu, as if it was the most fascinating thing he's ever witnessed. I couldn't imagine not eating actual food for over two thousand years. I suppose to them though, blood was their form of food, and they couldn't imagine eating anything else.

"Do you miss regular food?" I asked Godric curiously, closing the menu as I decided on a pasta dish.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure I even remember the taste of human food." Godric shrugged.

"I can't imagine not eating. Well I mean, you eat, it's just..."

"Not your typical food." His smile morphed into a smirk.

"Right." I nodded, my face flushing red.

"You blush quite a bit, little one." He mused.

That comment only caused my red face to deepen in colour. "I don't."

"You do." He tilted his head to the side. "It's quite...cute, I believe is the word you humans use."

I started fidgeting with the cloth napkin as I folded it over my lap. Neither of us spoke until a waiter appeared, this time a man, and surprisingly, I was the one who was being ogled. My cheeks only grew a darker shade of red, much to Godric's amusement, as the waiter nearly stared right at my breasts the entire time. After a few moments of however, I noticed the frown stretching its way across Godric's lips. The waiter was lingering, trying to impress me with his knowledge of the menu, as if I would unzip my dress and allow him to ravish me right there in the middle of the restaurant. He certainly wasn't the one I would want to do that with.

I could have sworn my face was on fire because of that thought.

I was thankful when Godric coughed loudly, gaining the waiters attention. He flashed the waiter a glare, his fangs peeking out just slightly, and the waiter quickly got the hint. I almost wanted to laugh as he hurried off in the other direction, not able to get away from the annoyed vampire fast enough it seemed.

"You scared him." I pointed out.

"He was staring at you." He stated, the frown still plastered across his face. I couldn't help but smile. He almost seemed jealous that another man was paying me any attention. I couldn't fathom why he would be jealous, but I had to admit that it was nice. I've never been close to the opposite gender before. I hardly had any friends to begin with because of my unique trait. Everyone was either scared of me, or thought I was some freak. They kept their distance, and I kept mine. But Godric, even though he admitted that it would have been safer for us all, hadn't been able to keep his distance. There was something about me that drew him closer and closer, and while I wasn't sure what in the world it could possibly be, I wasn't complaining.

After all, I had fallen for him.

* * *

We were nearing the end of dinner, or at least, I was. Godric was sipping away at his one and only true blood for that evening while I ate the rather delicious pasta I had ordered. The waiter hadn't dared to even look at me for longer than a split second, and Godric seemed pleased by his intimidation tactic. I was more amused by the fact that he cared in the first place. It certainly boosted my ego, that's for sure.

"How was it?" Godric wondered after the waiter had cleared away my empty plate and Godric's barely touched bottle of blood.

"Amazing actually." I dabbed at my lips, hoping I hadn't been a complete pig. I was a country girl after all; I had never been focused on acting like a lady. Though it wasn't like my mother didn't try. "You didn't seem to like your true blood though."

"True Blood is..." he paused for a moment, searching for the right word. "Repulsive."

"Really?" I raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be a replacement for human blood."

"It is." Godric nodded. "Only it's nowhere near the taste of real human blood. It's suitable enough, I suppose."

"Do you...do you drink human blood often?" I asked, fidgeting with the napkin on the table, not able to look at Godric as I asked this. We had never really talked about this before. It was a topic I don't think he ever wanted to discuss with me. He tried his hardest not to be the vampire that he was when he was around me, but I thought that was just ridiculous. He was what he was. There was no point in hiding that. I didn't care that he was a vampire, and I understood that vampires needed blood to live just as much as humans needed food.

"Yours has been the only human blood I've tasted in nearly two years." He admitted, his gaze falling to the surface of the table.

"Really?" My eyes grew wide. He hadn't had human blood for that long period of time? If what he had said was true, then he was willingly drinking true blood even though it seemed to taste horrid. But for what reason? There were willing donors; I had noticed that at his home the other night. He had only tasted my blood for a brief moment when I was stabbed, and I was sure that Godric hadn't taken too much, if any, of my blood when I had been bitten. How could a vampire live on synthetic blood purely?

"I'm very old, Taylor. I require very little blood these days." He explained, though his voice was strained. "And the blood I do require, I'd much rather drink True Blood than from a human."

"But why? I though you said you hated the taste of it?" I frowned.

"I do." He sighed, raising his gaze to meet mine. "But I would rather detest the taste of synthetic blood than to harm a human. I've killed too many, harmed the innocent, when it was not needed."

"But there are willing donors now." I pointed out.

"Have you felt more comfortable with our forged bond since last night?" Godric changed the topic quickly, his expression hardening.

I was at a loss for words. It was a topic he didn't like to talk about at all. It was his past, and I understood that. But why was he so hung up on what he had done centuries ago? He may have been some horrible monster before, but he wasn't now. He was different, he had changed. And that meant something. He had changed who he was, how he was, because he realized it wasn't the right thing to do. Being willing to change, it takes a lot of courage. I'm proud of Godric for being able to do so. He should be proud of himself. But instead, he's beating himself up for his activities from years ago. He wasn't that vampire anymore; I saw that, why couldn't he?

When I realized a few minutes had passed, and Godric was looking at me, waiting for an answer, I sighed and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I'm starting to get used to it. Like I said last night, I'm not used to letting anyone in. I was closed off for such a long time, that it's just going to take some getting used to is all."

Godric nodded. "I promise not to abuse our bond, little one."

"What's it like? To be able to feel someone else's emotions?" I was curious. I couldn't imagine being able to feel anyone else's feeling all the time. I could barely keep track of my own.

"It's...a unique feeling." He explained, the tension beginning to leave his face. "I've only ever felt the emotions of one other. But you are much different than he is. He's controlled his emotions and you...your emotions are..."

"Rapid and absolutely insane." I chuckled. "Oh I know."

"It's fascinating." He admitted. "I haven't been a human in quite some time. I've forgotten how they think, how they feel."

"You do a good job hiding it." I pointed out. "And I'm not really a good example. I go through so many emotions in such a short period of time. One minute I'll all happy, and the next I'm..."

"Blushing madly?" He offered, a smile tugging at his lips. "Perhaps though, that is because of my blood. it heightens your emotions, your libido, your attraction to..."

"Believe me Godric, It's not your blood that makes me attracted to you." I blurted out without even thinking. When I realized what I had said however, my eyes grew wide and my heart just about stopped. Did I just seriously say that? Did I honestly just say that his blood wasn't the reason I was attracted to him? Was I absolutely insane? I was an idiot. I just screwed everything up with one simple sentence. If hugging him, crying and making a complete fool of myself hadn't scared him off, then this certainly would. After everything that's happen, my stupid big mouth would be the reason I lost Godric. Oh I was a first class idiot!

I had to think quickly, retract my statement, or something. He was just staring at me with intrigued eyes, his head tilted to the side. And there I was, wide eyed and absolutely freaked. I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights. I had to get out of here. I had to just step away, regroup, and figure out what the hell I was going to do to fix this.

So I just said the first thing that came to mind.

"I, uh, I need to go to the bathroom."

And I was out of my seat faster than I thought I could possibly ever move in my life. I wasn't even sure where the bathroom was in the restaurant, but I didn't even care. I just shot the farthest away I could possibly get, and was just thankful when I found the bathroom. I slipped in, my head swimming.

"Oh I'm such an idiot." I groaned, resting against the sink counter. I looked at myself in the mirror and fought the urge to slap myself. "What the hell is wrong with you! You don't just blurt that out! Oh you are such an idiot. Stupid stupid stupid."

I hadn't realized that I wasn't alone in the bathroom until the stall behind me opened and a blonde stepped out, sending me the dirtiest look. I glared at her through the mirror, not in the mood to deal with some bitchy bleached blonde chick.

"What?" I snapped, sending her the darkest look I could possibly muster. "Haven't you ever seen someone talking to themselves?"

That certainly moved the blonde along. She washed her hands in seconds and didn't bother to stay and dry them before shooting out of the bathroom. I shook my head and undid the long braid my hair was in. I tugged on the ends after shaking my hair loose, not able to believe that I could possibly be this big of an idiot.

"Why? Why the hell did you have to say the _one_ thing that you shouldn't say? God I'm such an idiot." I moaned, hanging my head. "I'm the biggest idiot in the world. He can probably hear every single word I'm friggin saying."

And that's when it hit me.

He couldn't just hear me.

He could_ feel me_.

Because of this stupid confusing bond, he could feel every single damn emotion that shot trough me. Including how I felt about him. This entire night, whenever I blushed, whenever I thought my inappropriate thoughts, he must have known all along how I felt. Well now I was certainly embarrassed. And he had to know how much I was freaking out right now. God, I was an idiot. I should have tried to mask how I felt. I wasn't sure if it would have worked, or if it was even possible, but did I have to feel so damn loud? This was going to ruin everything!

"He's probably already left." I mumbled, splashing some cold water on my burning face. "He probably ran off. Who wouldn't? I'm completely insane. I'm standing in a bathroom talking to myself! Oh god!"

I was freaking out. I was having a complete freak out attack. There was no other way to explain it. I didn't know what to say or do. Did I go back out there? Did we just resume dinner as normal? Did I bring it up? Did I just run out, making some horrible excuse he would see right through? Was he even still there?

"Why do I always have to ruin everything?" My shoulders slumped forward. "He's the one person who I've ever felt this way about, my only actual friend who doesn't see me as some crazy mental patient, and I do something like this! Oh I'm an idiot. I'm such an idiot! I've ruined everything!"

I knew I couldn't stay hidden forever. He must have heard my crazy rant. He wasn't an idiot. Even without knowing exactly how I felt or being able to hear me, running off was a clear indication that I liked him. Why couldn't I just not like the only friend I've ever had?

"Why did I have to fall for you? Damn you Godric for being...well you!" I shook my head, tugging almost painfully on my hair before I twirled the strands back into a loose, and extremely messy, braid.

I needed to just calm down. I couldn't go back out there, if he was even still there, like this. I just needed to breathe. Everything was going to be alright. If he was still there, maybe we could just pretend none of this ever happened. Yeah, that's what we could do. I mean I'm a teenage girl. I'll just attribute this to...well...I'm a teenager, there's every excuse in the book. That's it. That's what I'll do. It'll be fine. I just need to calm down.

It took nearly ten minutes for my breathing and heart rate to return to normal before I decided I was ready to leave the safe confines of the bathroom. I was scared shitless of what would happen, of what Godric would say. But if I didn't get back out there soon, what if he thought I had just left? Then again, he had to know I was still here, with our bond and all. But the sooner I went out there, the sooner we could just move passed this little episode.

"It's okay. Everything is going to be okay." I tried to assure myself, plastering on a fake smile that I don't even think the mirror believed

I shook my head before shaking out my arms, trying to rid myself of the tension. When that failed, I just left the room, hoping that once I got back to the table, everything would return to normal. Of course, I didn't even take two steps out of the bathroom when something, or rather, someone caught my hand and began pulling me down the hallway towards the back of the restaurant. My first thought went back to that night those men attacked me, grabbing me in the coffee shop and nearly raping me outside. I struggled against the grasp on my hand, readying my lungs to scream for help. But before I could, we turned a corner and my back was pressed against the wall. My eyes were as wide as saucers, but relief flooded through me when I realized it was Godric who had grabbed me, not some rapist or murderer.

"Godric, what are you doing?" I frowned in confusion. "Is everything alright? You really shouldn't just grab someone and..."

Godric stopped me from speaking however, laying a cold finger over my lips.

"Usually I find it rather fascinating when you ramble, but little one, do shut up." There was a spark in his eyes that I've never seen before, a spark that caused my heart to skip a beat.

As he lifted his finger off of my lips, I opened my mouth to speak, but I never got the chance to before his lips came crashing down on mine. I felt frozen to the spot, my back pressed against the wall, Godric's hands finding my hips. I wasn't sure what to do, how to react. I've never been kissed before. This was entirely new to me. Especially since it was a two thousand year old vampire that I happened to fall madly for. I wasn't experienced, I didn't know what the hell I was doing, and the man that I had just embarrassed myself in front of was now kissing me. If I hadn't of been trapped against that wall with Godric effectively supporting me, my jelly like legs would have collapsed right underneath me.

Godric had to of known this, as his lips parted from mine ever so slightly, his unnecessary breaths vibrating against mine. I felt breathless, out of air, but the moment his lips left mine, I felt empty, I felt alone. Without even knowing what I was doing, I pressed forward, my lips meeting his in a second battle. The feeling in my limbs returned and my hands had a life of their own as one clutched onto his strong arm as if my life depended on it, while the other reached around to the back of his neck and tugged him even closer. A low growl emitted from the back of his throat and his fingers dug into my hips as he pressed himself into me, grinding me against the wall. I was barely even paying attention to anything else going on as our lips attacked one another, trying to get the upper hand. For a moment, I wondered if I was doing this right, or if I was merely disappointing this vampire. But from his persistence, I knew I must have been doing something right.

When I felt his extended fangs graze across my bottom lip, I couldn't help the moan that escaped my lips. It was a noise that sounded so unlike myself. I've never experienced anything like this before. I always expected my first kiss to just be a peck on the lips. I never expected it to be...well...this! I wasn't complaining though. The way his hands held onto me firmly, the way that his fangs drew across my tongue, the desires and urges that were flowing right out of me and into Godric, it was just magical. I didn't want this to ever end. I've never felt this way before, and truthfully, I don't think I ever wanted it to stop. It felt like I was floating on air, Godric's lips the only thing holding me down. I held onto him tighter as his tongue ran along mine, another moan emitting from my lips. My entire body felt on fire. I felt a heat between my legs that almost threw me entirely over the edge. I squirmed slightly, my body grinding against his, and I was welcomed back to reality when I felt a bulge pressing into me.

But even that couldn't pull me away, couldn't stop the friction between our bodies, between our lips. He drew back again, and I tried to follow his lips with mine, but instead, his lips glided across my jaw and down to the curve of my neck. A louder moan escaped my lips, and I honestly thought I had just died and went to heaven. The light nipping, the sucking in the just the right place on my neck, it was just heavenly. I didn't think anything could feel this amazing. My hands were on Godric's shoulders now, holding onto him to keep myself upright. His own hands had moved, one to my back and pulling me off of the wall to meet his body, while the other was sliding downward to the hem of the dress.

I wasn't sure where this would have led, what we would have ended up doing if it hadn't of been the crashing of plates in the nearby kitchen. It was as if a bomb had just gone off to our ears, and just like that, the moment ended. Godric pulled away from me, though his hands remained in place. I held onto his shoulders perhaps even tighter than before as I panted heavily. My eyes were closed, my head resting on the wall behind me as I caught my breath. When I opened my eyes, I found those blue orbs I had been captivated by filled with lust and hunger. But I knew it wasn't hunger for my blood, and instead, I had a pretty good idea what he desired at the moment.

I certainly felt that desire in his pants.

My cheeks flushed as I stared deeply into those eyes, not sure what to say. What had just happened? One minute I was freaking out in the bathroom, and the next Godric was pushing me up against a wall. And we made out. I could safely say, without any prior knowledge, that we had officially made out. In a restaurant. Where anyone could have walked in on us. I think that just added some thrill to it in a way I never even realized would have excited me. But it had. And so had this vampire. Who was now staring at me like he wanted to take me right then and there.

And I'm pretty certain that if a staff member hadn't walked into the hallway and right passed us, sending us a knowing look, I wouldn't have stopped him at all.

But the staff member had appeared, and the moment had passed. At least for now. At least maybe until we were in a more private setting. And then I had absolutely no clue if there would be any self control left. This was a whole new territory for me. I was certain Godric had been with many many women over the years. And I was alright with that, in a way. I was just so inexperienced, so naive when it came to sex and hell, even kissing. I didn't want to disappoint him, but I also wasn't sure what the hell I was doing or what I was comfortable with. This just kind of happened, and to be honest, I almost felt dizzy with a mixture of confusion and complete desire.

"Perhaps we should take this elsewhere." Godric suggested after a moment, his voice husky and full of the same lust that was in his eyes.

I couldn't speak and only nodded at the vampire. He offered me a smile as his hands fell from their spots, my body feeling almost naked without his touch. His hand did slip into mine however, and a warmth spread through me as he began leading me back to our table. Godric quickly threw down a couple of bills as he grabbed my jacket and helped me slip it on. Neither of us spoke as we left the restaurant and wandered over to his car. He held the door open, like a complete gentleman, before zipping to driver's side and slipped in. the moment the car drove out of the parking lot, his hand found mine once again, intertwining his fingers through mine and squeezing my hand gently. I snuck at glance at the vampire, not able to help the smile that had spread across my lips. I wasn't sure what in the world had happened back there, but I wasn't exactly complaining. I had been freaking out over him knowing that I liked him, that I had fallen for him, and then we just kissed. He had pulled me aside and kissed me in a way that part of me had been hoping for all along. And it was certainly everything I had been expecting from the vampire. He was experienced; he knew how to do things I couldn't even dream of.

He certainly wasn't a bad choice for my first kiss, that was for sure!


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven:**

I was a nervous wreck the entire way back to my hotel. I was sure my hand was all clammy and sweaty, and I attempted to tug it out of Godric's grasp, but he wouldn't allow it. His fingers were intertwined with mine, his thumb caressing my palm in a way that shot pleasurable surges right through my body. I wasn't able to look at him as he drove, his speed not affecting me this time. I barely even registered anything at all as I just stared out the window, my cheeks burning a bright red. I could still feel his cool lips on mine. I could still feel the way his hands had gripped my hips in such need and desire. Part of me wanted Godric to just pull over so I could throw myself at him, while another part of me was scared shitless. I was an eighteen year old virgin who just had her first kiss right after panicking over letting the cat out of the bag that I liked this two thousand year old vampire. It was a lot to process and not a lot of time to do so. I knew Godric could feel my swirling emotions, but he didn't say or do anything to question them. He must have known how inexperienced I was, right? He would be able to sense that.

"I'm a virgin." I suddenly blurted out.

I slapped my hand right over my mouth the moment those three words left my mouth. I groaned as I rested the back of my head on the headrest behind me, my eyes closing at my stupidity. Did I enjoy opening my mouth and letting the most ridiculous and personal things just spew out? First I had to go and tell him that I was attracted to him even without his blood cursing through me, and now I had just blurted out that I was a damn virgin? What was _wrong_ with me?

I was surprised when Godric chuckled at my outburst. I cracked my eyes open, sneaking a glance over at the vampire. There was a look of amusement on his face as he took a turn before pulling the car to a complete stop. I glanced out the window and I wasn't sure if I was relieved or not that we were now parked outside of the hotel.

What would happen now?

"I'm very much aware of your...innocence, Taylor." Godric turned to me, his hand reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. "I knew it long before we forged this bond."

"Oh." It was all I could say. What else could I possibly say after saying something so embarrassing?

"I apologize for losing my control, Taylor. I had not...I had not predicted that I would react in such a way." He apologized, his hand leaving mine, making me feel oddly naked and alone. "I should have been able to control myself."

I stared into those once sparkling blue eyes and was surprised when I found the sadness beginning to seep back into them. Why was he sad? Was he not happy over what had occurred? Had I disappointed him? Was it because I was too inexperienced, did he want something else, something more? My own sadness must have shown on my face because Godric's hand quickly returned to mine, his hand squeezing mine gently.

"I've fought to control myself for a very long time. And with you...it's incredibly difficult but I had been able to do so." Godric sighed. "Until tonight. I'm not quite sure what came over me, I hope you can forgive me."

"I know I'm just a little girl compared to you, and I'm naive, and innocent, and completely out of my league here but..." I paused to find the right wording. "But I didn't...I didn't hate that, Godric, not at all."

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes boring into mine.

"I...I didn't mean to say what I did back there." I bowed my head, my cheeks burning once again in embarrassment. "I just...I have a habit of blurting things out. Remember when we met in the park the night after I saved you?"

"I hadn't been able to control myself that night either."

"No, you were just worried that I knew everything that I did and it couldn't be explained. I understood that and I accepted it. But tonight I..." I felt at a loss for words. How was I supposed to tell him that I loved tonight without him knowing that I was falling head over heels for him? He had to of known that already, right? We wouldn't have kissed, done all of that, if he didn't know, right? "I shouldn't have said what I did."

"You did not mean what you said?" Godric asked curiously as I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

"No...I mean...it's just..." my face was burning and I was just completely out of my element. I didn't know what to say or do, and the longer Godric stared at me in that way, the more I wanted to just rip both of our clothes off. That thought only caused me to blush even more, and as I peeked up at Godric, I could tell he knew exactly what I was thinking, or at least feeling.

"Little one?" He prodded. "Tell me how you feel. I can feel your emotions but I...I cannot understand them, not at all."

"I'm just...I'm afraid." I admitted, sighing as my shoulders slumped forward.

"Scared of what, Taylor?" he clasped a finger under my chin and forced my gaze upwards. "What scares you, little one?"

"Losing you." I replied honestly. "I don't...I don't want to say the wrong thing. I don't want to scare you off or for you to just leave."

"You could not scare me off, Taylor; I thought we've talked about this before?" He assured with a kind smile. "Please do not be afraid to speak your mind around me, my little seer."

An odd sensation shot through me as he called me _his_ seer. I just couldn't explain it, but I knew I wouldn't mind hearing it again.

"Whatever it is you have to say, I promise you that I will remain here, with you. I will not leave. I should have left long ago, but as I've said, I cannot control myself around you." His thumb began caressing my cheek, my eyes closing at the motions. "Tell me what you're feeling, Taylor."

My body felt more relaxed than it ever had, even though we were sitting awkwardly in a car. But he had grown incredibly close, so close that I could feel his hot breath as his thumb continued to caress my cheek. It was because of how relaxed I felt that I couldn't hold back any longer. Everything just came blurting out, and part of me didn't even care just as long as he remained this close.

"I like you." The words just came floating right out of my mouth. I kept my eyes closed, not wanting to see the reaction on his face as I said this. "And not just a, I like you as a friend, sort of way. I like you in this big humiliating, I could make out with you for hours, kind of way."

I think I was more shocked by what Godric did next than how I was just able to blurt all of that out so easily. His lips pressed against mine urgently, almost immediately parting my lips for his tongue to dart out and meet my own. I felt more prepared from out last make out session, and reacted quickly. My hand went to the back of his neck, pulling him even closer as his arms wrapped around me. I barely even knew what was occurring as he suddenly pulled me right into his lap, the steering wheel digging into my back uncomfortably. I was straddling his lap now, and I didn't even care about anything else. I felt such a need to touch him, to feel every single inch of him. My hands ran up and down his chest, feeling the taut muscles beneath the dress shirt he was wearing. I was hesitant at first before beginning to unbutton the rest of the shirt, sliding my hands passed the fabric barricades and onto his freezing cold flesh. I had never been this close to a man before, and certainly had never felt one in this way. The way that his muscles felt beneath my warm hands was just amazing. Godric must have thought so anyways, as a low growl emitted from the back of his throat, the bulge in his pants beginning to grow and press into me. Godric's hand pressed against my back, grinding me against him as his tongue fought for control with mine before his lips parted from mine. My eyes just about rolled back into my head as his lips ghosted over my jaw and down to my neck. A moan escaped my lips as he began a trail of kisses down my neck and to where my pulsing vein laid. He paid special attention to where my blood was pumping through my body, separated from his waiting mouth by only the skin he could easily rip through. I heard his fangs click out, and I half expected him to bite me.

Except he didn't.

He didn't do much of anything after that point.

I was confused as hell as Godric pulled me away from him, and in one swift movement, set me back on my own seat. I was panting as I turned to stare at Godric, who had left the car without uttering a single word. My mouth dropped open in shock. What had happened? Did I do something wrong?

"Godric?" I shoved open the door as he stood on the sidewalk, his gaze moving upwards to the sky. I frowned as I climbed out of the car, adjusting my dress before making my way over to the vampire. I set a hand on his chest, pulling his gaze back down to meet mine. "What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

"You did nothing wrong, Taylor." He shook his head, the sadness returning to his orbs. "It was I who had done something terribly wrong."

"What are you talking about?" my eyebrows furrowed. "Are you talking about your fangs? Because I honestly doubt you can control that from..."

"But I should have been able to." he snapped suddenly as he took a step back, my hand falling down to my side. "I should have been able to control myself this entire time."

"Godric..."

"I think we should end our night here, Taylor." He refused to look me in the eye as he said this. "I'm sorry for what I've done here."

"Are you kidding me right now?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Godric will you just..."

"I will call on you another night." He brushed passed me and back to the driver's side of his car. "Goodnight Taylor."

"Godric stop!" I twisted around, hoping to be able to stop the vampire from leaving. "Please will you just..."

But he was gone before I could even finish. The car was out of sight not even a minute later, leaving me alone on the side of the road, tears forming in my eyes.

* * *

I had hardly been able to sleep at all that night. The tears were streaming down my cheeks by the time I entered the lobby, and I had hurried into the elevator. I hated that Godric had just left, even though he had promised not to. I knew it wasn't because of how I felt, but instead because he thought he had lost control. But he had still left. He still drove off without much of an explanation, making me feel what I could only explain as a broken heart. I never thought I would feel this way. But then again, I never expected to fall for a vampire, and not one like Godric.

"Damn you Godric." I muttered as I kicked back my bed sheets in frustration as I rolled onto my back.

I had been restless ever since crawling into bed, and that had only been a few hours ago. It was the middle of the night, my mind was swimming, and I couldn't get a single ounce of sleep. All I wanted to do was go find Godric and yell at him for how he had made me feel. But I couldn't exactly do that. Because he had been the run to run off, not the other way around. I was too proud to go running after him. When he came to his senses, if that even happened, then he could be the one to apologize, to beg for my forgiveness.

"Stupid men." I grumbled, pushing myself up into a sitting position as I glared at the wall. "Stupid stupid men."

I pulled my knees up to my chest as I pouted. I couldn't believe Godric had the nerve to get me to tell him exactly how I felt, kiss me and get me all excited, and then leave. Who does that? You can't just do that! But oh no, he was a vampire, he had to be careful what he did. I mean seriously? So his fangs had popped out. He was a vampire. I had never denied that. I knew what he was, and I liked him anyways. I didn't care, so why the hell did he have to? Didn't he realize that it had been confusing enough to realize that I had fallen for him in the same night that we completely threw away the rule book and made out in public? This wasn't helping anything at all!

"Men...always friggin unreliably stupid." I flicked at the bed sheets before the sound of knocking broke me out of my pouting.

I frowned as I glanced towards the hotel room door. It was nearly two in the morning, who could possibly be knocking at my door at such an hour? I tried to ignore the persistent knocks, but whoever it was just wouldn't go away.

"Really?" I muttered, pushing myself out of bed and shuffled across the floor to the door. "Really?"

I didn't bother checking through the peep hole to see who it could be. There weren't that many possibilities, not at this time of night, or morning I should say. So I just unlocked the door and ripped it open, only to be surprised as hell to find who was standing outside of my hotel room.

"Really?" I threw my arms up in the air as I just slammed the door shut right in Godric's face. "I mean honestly!"

I leaned my back against the closed door as Godric attempted to knock again. I closed my eyes and slid down the door until my knees met my chest. I sighed as I shook my head, wishing Godric would just go away. But then again, this is what I had been hoping for, wasn't it? I wanted Godric to return, to apologize, to sweep me back off my feet. It was just my damn pride that said otherwise.

And the hormones.

The damn teenage hormones that we females were subjected to.

It just wasn't fair.

"Taylor?" Godric called through the closed door. "I...I would like to explain to you what happened."

"Go away!" I shouted back, wrapping my arms around my knees.

"I apologize for leaving. I shouldn't have. I was just..."

"You promised, Godric. You promised that you wouldn't have left. But you did."

"And I'm sorry for doing so. But it wasn't because of your confession, I was just..."

"Just go away, Godric." I squeezed my eyes shut. "I don't want to talk to you."

"If you would just allow me to..."

"Go away!"

"Taylor..."

"I don't want to talk to you, Godric." Why couldn't he just go? Didn't he get that I didn't want to do this, not right now? He had to of felt my frustration, my sadness, and hell, even my anger.

But then again, he also could feel my desire for him. He could feel my hope that he would say just the right thing and everything would be alright.

Damn blood bond.

"Taylor, please..."

"If you say my name one more time, I'm going to scream." I warned him.

I could hear a sigh before weight was placed on the wooden door. I listened closely and from what I could tell, he was sitting against the door directly behind me. It was odd to think that we were so close, and yet one little door was separating us.

"I lost control in so many ways tonight, little one." He spoke softly. "I allowed myself to act in a way that was forbidden."

"How can you even say that?" I shook my head. "Was it all some mistake? Did you not want to kiss me, because maybe you should have tried not grabbing me in a public restaurant and start making out."

He sighed again, and I could just imagine the grim expression on his face.

"It was never my intention to..."

"To kiss me?" My heart dropped. "So you didn't want to then? They why? Because I'm human Godric, I'm a silly human girl who gets offended when people kiss me just because they pity me."

"I do not pity you, Taylor."

"You say Taylor and I scream, remember." I reminded him.

"I don't pity you, little one. That is the furthest from the truth."

"Then why? Why did you kiss me if you didn't want to?" I could feel tears form in my eyes at the thought that this had all been some horrible mistake, that Godric didn't care about me at all.

"Of course I wanted to, Taylor...little one. Do you not realize what you do to me? Do you not realize how hard it has been to control myself when I'm around you?" His voice sounded strained. "I've controlled myself for so long. I shouldn't have even...I tried to keep my distance. I tried so hard to keep myself away from you. But I just couldn't. How could I when...you have absolutely no idea how crazy you drive me, my little seer."

My heart jumped back to life, fluttering right inside of my chest. "But then why did you leave?"

"I was not always this way, little one. I was not always like this. I was cruel once. I was a monster." He sighed heavily. "I've killed thousands. I've killed men, women, children. I've used innocent girls like yourself in ways that I'm ashamed of. I wish I could change who I was, but I cannot. I can only change who I am now. And I was afraid that..."

"You were afraid of what?" I urged on, my eyes opening as I glanced over my shoulder at the door, as if I could see right through it and to Godric. "What were you so afraid of? Was it because your fangs came out? Because I don't care, Godric. I don't care that you're a vampire, that you require blood to live. I don't care about any of that."

"You should care. You should be afraid of me, like everyone else is."

"But I'm not. I like you Godric. I like you as a friend and I...I've realized that I like you more than just a friend. I don't understand it at all. All of these feelings, and desires, it's all new to me, Godric. Don't you think I'm afraid? I'm eighteen and suddenly I've gone from being confused to knowing for certain that I've fallen for you. It's scary as hell!"

There was silence on the other side of the door, and for a moment I was almost afraid that I had scared him away.

"I'm afraid of what I will become if I allow myself to lose control again." he replied barely above a whisper, forcing me to nearly press my ear up against the door. "I'm afraid of hurting you, Taylor. And that is the last thing I want to do. I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to harm you in any possible way."

"So that's why you left?" I questioned. "Because your fangs came out and you were afraid that you might have lost control and...bitten me?"

"Yes." He answered quietly. "And I will not allow myself to do that. I will not bite you. I cannot. Even though the urge is there. Even though the sweet smell of your blood is calling to me. I will not harm you, Taylor."

I sighed as I pushed myself up onto my feet and turned towards the door. I didn't hesitate as I pulled it open, Godric standing in a blink of an eye. I stared into the depths of those blue orbs, and part of me just wanted to throw my arms around the vampire. He was so scared that he was going to hurt me, that he was going to fall over the edge and become the vampire that he had once been. He was so worried that he wasn't allowing himself to become close to me, and I suspect he had been this way for so long. I couldn't imagine being alone for such a long period of time like he had been. Forever was a long time all by your lonesome self.

"I trust you, Godric." I stepped forward. "I trust that you won't hurt me. I know what you are. But I also know who you are. And that urge might be there, but I know that deep down inside, you would be able to stop yourself. Because you're you, Godric. You're an amazing person, whether you want to believe that or not. I trust you completely. You haven't proven to me otherwise. Except for tonight that is."

He hung his head in shame. "I apologize, Taylor. I shouldn't have left. I should have explained this. But I had been afraid. I had been at the mercy of my emotions and I bolted. For that, I'm truly sorry."

"It's okay Godric." I nodded, laying my hand on his arm. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Of course?" He lifted his gaze to meet mine.

"Do you...Do you regret kissing me? Do you regret what happened tonight?" I asked curiously, chewing on my bottom lip as I nervously awaited his answer.

I was surprised when a small smile appeared on his lips. He stepped forward, closing the distance between us as he raised a hand, his thumb brushing over my lips ever so slightly.

"How could I possibly regret kissing this soft delectable lips?" his eyes fell from mine and to my lips, as if all he desired was to kiss them. "Do you regret confessing how you feel?"

"It wasn't really my fault I confessed. It was just blurted out and you took advantage of the fact by kissing me." I pointed out, though a grin had appeared of my face. "But no...I guess in the long run, I don't regret it. That was a pretty amazing kiss."

His smile twisted into a smirk as he grew even closer. My breathing was hitched as I stared up into those striking blue eyes, trying to figure out what he would do next.

"You may be young, and you are most definitely naive." His voice vibrated against my lips as he drew even closer. "But you are certainly not innocent, are you?"

"Not at all." I whispered before I surprised both of us by pressing my lips against his.

Everything happened so quickly. We were inside the hotel room in a flash, Godric's arm wrapped securely around me as he moved us. I vaguely remember hearing the door slam shut behind us as we furiously began kissing one another, our hands moving to feel every inch of each other. I let out a moan as he brought a hand up to my neck, caressing the sensitive curve. His other hand fell to my back, his cold digits fingering the hem of my shirt. My own hands were on his strong arms, my nails beginning to dig into his skin as if I was holding on for dear life. I could barely breathe as the kisses came one after another, his lips barely even leaving mine. When I placed my hands on his chest, trying to pull back for a single breath of air, that was when his lips began trailing along my jaw and to my ear. Another moan escaped my lips as he lightly nipped at the earlobe; a spot I never would have thought would have sent shockwaves of pleasure right through me.

"I can assure you..." Godric's voice was raspy as the backs of my legs met with the side of the bed. "I certainly don't regret this."

"Good." There was a spark in my eyes as I ran one of my hands through his shirt hair and pulled his lips against mine.

I felt so unlike myself as Godric picked me up suddenly, only to lie me flat on the bed. 48 hours ago I had almost died, 24 hours ago I had learned of the blood bond Godric and I now shared. And now, well now I was on a bed with Godric straddling me, his tongue darting out to the flesh of my neck. I never would have imagined that my begging for Godric to remain in my life would bring me to this moment in time. I hadn't even completely realized that I had fallen for him then. But I realized now that I did know. All this time, a part of me did know that I liked him. I had just been so confused by everything. The desires and urges, they were still so new to me. I was inexperienced and naive. But that didn't mean that I didn't enjoy this. That didn't mean that I didn't know exactly what I wanted, and that happened to be the vampire on top of me right now.

And boy, did I want him!

My moans grew louder and more consistent as his lips attacked my neck in all the right places. His fangs never extended this time, though I knew it must have been a struggle for him. Trying to ease the pressure, I slid my hands up and down his back, my nails grazing over his shirt. He growled, his body growing rigid as I slowly began drawing the nails up his back, only this time, dipping underneath his shirt.

"Mine." He growled, his lips aggressively pressing against mine, hardly giving me a moment to even breathe.

His hands moved as well, one brushing over my side and to the bottom of my shirt, while the other began caressing my thigh, drawing closer and closer to the heat between my legs. My hips jerked all on their own accord, rising to meet his touches. His cool hand slid underneath the thin t-shirt I had worn to bed, my body beginning to shake at the skin to skin contact. I couldn't even moan as Godric continued to kiss me relentlessly, and to the point that I had to again push him away only to just breathe for a quick moment. I was panting as I stared up at him through heavy eyelids. His own eyes were closed as his fingers lightly touched my core in a way that sent the most pleasurable sensation right through me. I never thought I could feel this way before. I never thought it was even possible. I felt like I was high on some drug, some drug that involved Godric. It was like I was floating in the air, only for Godric to rip me down to the pits of pleasure.

It was only when Godric's fingers began tugging at the top of my pyjama pants that I began to realize what was about to happen. And even though we both knew that I so desperately wanted this, wanted even more, I knew I had to stop it before we went that far. Because I may not be innocent, far from it, but I was still only eighteen. I was still so young, and all in one night, my experience with the opposite sex had been thrust through the roof. I wasn't so sure I would be comfortable with going any further, with losing my innocence completely.

"Godric..." I panted as he brushed his lips against my neck. I pressed my hands on his chest as his fingers grabbed onto the fabric on my hips, fully intending on ripping my pants right off of me. "Godric stop."

It didn't take much more than that for Godric to freeze immediately. His eyes opened as he raised his head up, his eyes finding mine. Not even seconds later had he removed himself from me completely, now sitting on the edge of the bed. I let my eyes close as everything sunk in, as I regained my breath. My skin was tingling, and I could feel my lower region throbbing with desire. But I could also feel my hesitance, my desire to wait. And that was what I needed to listen to right now. Godric and I had gone further tonight than I could have even dreamed. But we couldn't go any further. Not right now at least.

"I'm sorry." His voice was full of sorrow. "I've...I've lost control again."

"No you haven't." I assured him, still completely breathless. "You didn't lose control at all. I just..."

"This has gone too far. We should not be doing this." He bowed his head.

I sighed as I pushed myself up into a sitting position with effort. "That's not it Godric. It's just...before tonight, I've never even kissed a boy. I've never even admitted to ever liking someone before. And now...and now we're doing _this._ And this is all great. Amazing even Godric, you have no idea. I just...I'm eighteen...I'm a virgin...and this is just..."

"A bit too much." Godric nodded, his gaze moving to meet mine. "I understand. I should have realized. I've just...I have not been with a woman in many years. Decades, possibly even centuries if I were to be honest. I've closed myself off, much like you have, and you were the first that I have opened myself up to."

"And I'm honoured you have." I slipped my hands around his arm, pulling myself closer to the vampire. "I just think that maybe we should hold off on those other extracurricular activities. This is just a lot to take in for one night, you know? I mean one minute I was blurting out that I liked you and freaking out in the bathroom, and the next we're..."

Godric chuckled. "I understand perfectly, my little seer. We will wait until you are ready. That is, should you choose to, Taylor. This does not have to lead anywhere. We can pretend this night never happened should you wish it."

"Why would I ever want to do that?" I was grinning like a fool.

A smile of his own crossed his lips, and that only caused my grin to widen.

"You know...just because I don't want to have sex...it doesn't mean that we can't kiss." I wiggled my eyebrows suggestively.

Before I even knew it, Godric had grabbed onto my arm and pulled me right into his lap, my legs on either side of his. I held onto his shoulders as I stared deeply into those beautiful orbs, his hands resting on my hips. His lips captured mine before I even could say a word, and I happily obliged, loving the feel of his lips against mine.

"Oh yeah..." I breathed out between kisses. "Kissing is definitely okay."


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve:**

_Something didn't feel right. _

_Something felt horribly wrong._

_I felt trapped. I wasn't sure where I was, but I could barely move a muscle. I tried to call out to Godric, not sure if he was even anywhere near me. But I couldn't even do that. My throat ached, as if I had screamed my lungs out relentlessly over and over again until I had lost my voice completely. I was scared. I could feel the fear surge through me. I tried to open my eyes, tried to move my limbs, but nothing was happening. There was something covering my eyes, and no amount of shifting would shake it off. I was eventually able to get my legs to move, but it were my hands that were restrained. I tried to jostle the metal that was encasing my wrists, and a blinding pain shot through me. A whimper, the only sound I could make, escaped my lips and my entire body shuddered. _

_Where was I?_

_What was going on?_

_Was Godric okay?_

"_Oh fantastic, our guest is finally awake!"_

_That voice, it sounded so familiar. I heard footsteps approaching me and I tried to struggle out of my binds. But it was no use, because the moment I started moving my hands, the blinding pain shot right through me and I slumped forward helplessly._

"_Get her up Gabe, the vampire is here. And try not to damage her again; we can't negotiate if she's broken."_

_A ripple of pain surged right through me as I felt my binds release, only to be yanked to my feet my by wrists. The agony was unimaginable, and I knew without even seeing that it was broken. I felt whatever was blinding me beginning to be pulled off of me, and I was both relieved and scared to find who had taken me, who had been causing me this incredible pain. As the black veil was lifted off of my sight, my eyes took in the sight of a man in his forties, in good enough shape with a bald head, though a nasty and spine shuddering look was in his eyes. There was a man behind him, the one who had spoken, and I had to strain myself to peer around the large man to see who it was..._

I sat up startled, gasping as sweat dripped down my forehead. My breathing was rapid, as was my heart beat as my eyes darted around the room. I was relieved to find that I was still in my hotel room, safely tucked in bed. It had just been a bad dream, that was all.

Except it wasn't that easy.

Because it wasn't just a dream.

I had the same queasy feeling, the same knots in my stomach just like I had gotten with every other dream that happened to come true.

And that scared the hell out of me.

It scared me so much that my first instinct was to pick up the phone and call Godric. Except I couldn't exactly do that because as I glanced towards the covered window, I spied rays of sunshine sneaking around the sides of the drapes. I sighed as I fell back against the mound of pillows, chewing nervously on my bottom lip as I tried to understand the dream I knew for certain was a vision. I could have been wrong, except I knew that I wasn't. I've had this exact feeling every single time one of these visions occurred. It happened when I had those dreams about Godric. It had been that feeling that had sent me here to Dallas in the first place. I couldn't just ignore it and pretend that this had just been a regular dream and everything would be alright. Because everything wouldn't be alright. Because somehow, at some point, I was going to get kidnapped. I was going to fear for my life with a broken wrist, with a very large scary man handling me roughly, and...well I wasn't really sure who had spoken at all. The voice sounded familiar, but I hadn't been able to get a look at him at all. But of course, my visions weren't exactly helpful. They didn't show me what I wanted to see. They only showed me unhelpful tidbits that would drive me insane trying to understand.

"Oh this is so not going to be good." I grumbled, closing my eyes and wishing for sleep to sweep me away.

But it didn't.

Because all I could think about was that damn vision, knowing there was nothing in the world I could do about it.

Though that wasn't exactly true, was it? I had been able to change the vision concerning Godric's life. I saved him that night; he never died like I saw in my vision. Maybe this vision could be stopped. I would just have to tell Godric about it, I knew he would do whatever it took to keep me safe.

But then I remembered what had been said in the vision.

"_Get her up Gabe, the vampire is here. And try not to damage her again; we can't negotiate if she's broken."_

That vampire I could only assume was Godric. These people, they were trying to negotiate with him? But what if they wanted to hurt him, or worse, kill him? If I involved Godric, it could only get him killed, and I couldn't let that happen. But then...what if it was my own life that was at risk? I just wasn't sure what to do. I had been able to save Godric's life, but that hadn't been too threatening. This...this I wasn't sure how to get out of. I had been so scared in my vision, and I was already feeling that fear now. I didn't know when or how this would come to be, and I think that just made it worse.

"Damnit." I sighed before sitting up and glancing at the night stand to check the time. It was then that my gaze fell over the journal Godric had lent me. Inside of that journal laid some of the answers I had been seeking. Maybe it held a clue as to how I could fix this, how I could find out more about this vision. Or at least a way to stop it from happening hopefully without Godric's involvement. So I grabbed the journal and set it in my lap. I ran a hand carefully over the cover before slowly drawing it open, careful not to damage it at all.

This was it.

I was going to find out about myself, about my abilities

And hopefully there would be something useful in here, something I could use to solve this shitty situation I've found myself in.

* * *

I was so deep into reading that I never left the hotel at all during the day. I had ordered room service and never even changed out of my pyjamas. I just sat in bed reading the journal, fascinated by everything. I couldn't deny that I was a bit surprised at how Godric wrote, at how he described the world, and even himself. He didn't seem as truly terrible as Godric made himself out to be, but it was in this journal that he had admitted that he wanted to change, that he needed to. So I could only imagine how much worse he could possibly be.

I had only made it a quarter of the way through, finding that I had to go back to reread parts to fully understand everything. It was a large and detailed account of a part of Godric's life, and I wanted to be thorough. I may never have this chance again, to take a peek inside of Godric's head. So I wanted to make sure I knew everything there was to possibly know about him, about how he was in his past and how he had changed over the years.

I hadn't found too much out about my powers by the time a loud knock sounded at my door. I sighed as I set the journal down in my lap, my gaze rising over to the door.

"Who is it?" I shouted out curiously.

"Taylor?" Godric's voice sounded hurried, almost like he was concerned.

I didn't like the sound of that at all. "One second, I'll be right..."

I didn't even finish before the door was being thrown open. My eyes opened in shock as he slipped a key card into his pocket, closing the door behind him as his eyes roamed over every inch of my body. But it wasn't in any sexual way. It looked more like he was assuring himself that I was perfectly alright.

"How did you get a key to the room?" I questioned as I shifted on the bed to give him enough room.

He didn't say a word as he sat down beside me on the bed, his hands taking mine as his eyes searched my orbs. It had been a few days since our new relationship had begun blossoming, and unfortunately Sheriff business had stolen the vampire away from me, causing for a few extremely boring days. Tonight was supposed to be the first night we've seen one another since that night, and I had planned on looking all nice and put together for our meeting set for...well set for right now as I looked at the time. I must have been so engrossed in reading that I had lost track of time. That could be why Godric had burst in, concerned for my safety.

"I felt your fear this morning." He explained, his expression softening when he realized I wasn't physically harmed in any way. "It had been so intense that it woke me out of a dead sleep. I had been worried that something occurred while the sun was up. And then you hadn't appeared like we had planned and I was...I feared what could have happened. I glamoured the girl downstairs for another key to your room. I had to make sure you were alright."

I was touched that he honestly did care about me enough that he had literally been ripped out of his resting time when I had awoken this morning in fear. I had forgotten that he would have felt that. It hadn't crossed my mind at all. And now he was looking at me, expecting me to explain to him what happened. I couldn't lie to him. I had to tell him the truth. What else could I possibly say?

"I just had a nightmare is all."

Well there was that, I suppose.

"I'm fine though." I assured him, lying right through my teeth and I desperately hoped he wouldn't be able to tell otherwise. I squeezed his hand as I kissed him softly on the cheek in assurance. "I lost track of time today. I was so engrossed in reading that I didn't realize we were supposed to be meeting right now."

"But you are alright?" he questioned.

"I'm perfectly alright." I nodded, again lying to the man I had fallen for.

He didn't appear to know any different. Or maybe he did and he knew that I didn't want to talk about it. Or he was waiting for me to spill the beans. But I wasn't about to. I couldn't. At least not yet. At least not until I figured this out myself. So instead, I just closed the journal, setting it aside as I curled up beside Godric and laid my head on his shoulder.

"I look like a complete slob." I mused as I remembered I was only wearing loose pyjama pants and a ratty old high school t-shirt

"You look absolutely beautiful, my little seer." His lips brushed against my nose.

"You're only saying that because we totally made out while I was wearing these." I chuckled, my arms wrapping around his torso comfortably. "I'm pretty sure my hair is a mess."

"You look fine, my sweet." He assured.

"I doubt that. I hardly left the bed all day." I rolled my eyes.

"You do not realize just how beautiful you truly are, do you?" He looked down at me curiously.

I shrugged. I had just never seen myself as beautiful. Maybe pretty in some way, but never beautiful, never in the way that Godric obviously saw me.

"You are gorgeous, Taylor." He clasped a finger under my chin, pulling my gaze upwards. "No matter what you may be wearing, or in what state you are in, you will always remain the most beautiful woman I've ever encountered, both inside and out."

My heart swelled, and I had the strange desire to just cry. I've never been told by a single soul that I was beautiful. My mother always called me average, and my father told me I was pretty only out of obligation I was certain. But Godric, he saw something that I didn't. He saw me in a way that I don't think I would ever see myself. And I think that's one of the reasons I felt so drawn to Godric. He gave me the confidence, the boost that I needed, that I had been looking for all this time. And I think the same was for him. I assured him of his good nature, I allowed him to see that he wasn't the monster he so desperately thought he was. I don't think either of us could have predicted just how much we seemed to need one another.

"I don't need to believe that Godric, because I have you to do that for me." I smiled up at him.

He returned the smile before pressing his lips to mine in a quick kiss. I pouted as he pulled away, his forehead leading against mine.

"Have you read much?" He asked, talking about his journal.

"I'm about a quarter of the way through. I want to be thorough. This is your life we're talking about, I'm very interested." I closed my eyes, enjoying the close proximity to the vampire. I wouldn't have imagined being this close to Godric, both physically and emotionally, a week ago. But now here we were. "It's really interesting though. You've talked a little bit about the seers, but there hasn't been much yet."

"I hope I have not caused you to fear me, my sweet." The backs of his fingers began caressing my neck.

"Not at all, Godric." I let out a soft moan at the wonderful sensation of his touch. "You should really stop that or else I'm going to give in."

He knew what I meant and laid one last kiss on my lips before pulling himself away. The goofiest grin was on my face as I looked up at him. I felt like some love sick teenager. But this was how I was supposed to act. I was only eighteen. I was still a teenager. I never felt like this before. I never had that high school sweetheart. I hadn't even looked at a boy like I've looked at Godric. As foreign as this all felt, it just felt right, like this was how it was supposed to be. And who was I to fight with fate?

"Would you like to remain in this evening?" Godric suggested.

"Nah, lets go out and do something crazy." I pushed away the journal and climbed off the bed. I groaned as my entire back cracked, my joints aching from remaining in one spot all day. "I've been lazy for too many days now."

Godric moved too quickly for me to even follow, and I didn't even know where he had stopped until I felt his expert fingers pressing into my back. A moan escaped my lips the moment his cool digits slid underneath my t-shirt and up my back. It wasn't in a sensual way, well not entirely anyways. The way his fingers rubbed across my sore aching back just felt unbelievable. I felt my body fall into a relaxed state, my shoulders slumping forward, my eyelids drooping closed. I had to fight to stay awake as the tension left my back and shoulders as Godric worked his hands along the muscles as if he did this for a living.

"That feels...so nice." I mumbled, my head lolling to the side as his hands slid back out from under my shirt, only to fall onto my shoulders. "So so nice."

My legs felt like jelly as he continued to massage my shoulders to the point that I felt like I could just float on up to heaven and be happy. With everything that's happened in the past week, I hadn't been able to find myself in this relaxed state of mind. But with Godric, it was just so easy. Especially when he was doing such magical things with his hands. I almost moaned in displeasure when his hands disappeared off of my shoulders, never wanting him to stop.

"I won't be able to control myself much longer if I continue." He brushed the hair off of my shoulder and kissed the curve of my neck before gently nipping at my ear. "And I don't believe I'll be able to stop."

I shuddered as his tongue flicked out, trailing along my neck before kissing my pulsing vein and taking a step back. My face was a bright red as I turned to stare up at him.

"Go get dressed and we'll go out." He pecked me on the lips.

I nodded and pulled myself away from Godric, though it was extremely hard to do so. I could have let him kiss me for an eternity and I would have been happy. There was just something in the way that his lips pressed against mine that just sent me completely over the edge, but only in the best of ways. It was unbelievable, and if I knew kissing and being this close to someone felt this way, hell I would have done this a long time ago! Except I knew it wouldn't have been the same. It wasn't just how he kissed, how his hands ran along my body. It was the vampire himself that made me ache for his touch, that caused the heat between my legs. Without Godric, it wouldn't have been nearly as wonderful.

* * *

"This is nice." I mused as Godric and I walked through the streets of downtown Dallas. The weather was warming up just slightly, though there were still flakes of snowing falling from the sky, barely even making it to the ground. I didn't mind the snow. I've lived in Ohio my entire life; I was used to the snow. If I had been home right now, I knew I would have been stuck in some snow storm, unable to even leave the farm. But Dallas was so different. It was still cold, as it was February, but the climate was much different than I had ever been used to. And I found I liked it.

Of course, it didn't hurt that I had a gorgeous vampire beside me.

That didn't hurt at all.

"Tell me of your home." Godric's hand slid into mine as we crossed a street and began into a dimly lit park that I never would have found myself wandering in alone. Not after the two attacks I've had on my life in the past week. But Godric was the strongest vampire around. I felt safer with him than I could ever possibly feel in my life. "You haven't spoken to me much about your life before you came here."

"There's not much to say." I shrugged, enjoying the feel of his hand encasing mine. "I grew up on my family's farm. My great grandfather bought the land, and it's been handed down ever since, always to the first born son. Of course, I'm the only child, so my father always said he would hand it down to me."

"And would you like that?" Godric wondered.

"Surprisingly, I wouldn't mind it. I don't think I could have it as a working farm, not like my dad has it now. Not that there's much to it. We have a good sized land around us, but it's mostly for growing some crops. Our barn is pretty old and stores mostly just the equipment. My grandfather had hired employees to work on the farm when it was his, but my dad just wanted to keep it in the family, so he does it all himself. Sometimes his little brother, my uncle, will come by and help." it was surprising the smile that grew on my lips as I spoke about home. I've never really been away from the farm too much. Even when I was away at school for the first semester before flying off the rails and coming here, I would return home every weekend. It wasn't really Ohio or the farm that I had run away from, it had been the people. I actually loved the farm. I was a country girl in every sense of the word. Now I didn't mind Dallas, and I could even imagine myself staying here for a good while. But that was mostly because of Godric and there was just something about this city that just intrigued me. But I knew one day I would return to the farm, even if it was just to inherit the land.

"You miss it." Godric commented, tugging me over to a bench so we could sit. "I can sense it."

"I do, kind of. I miss the farm though, not the people. I don't miss being talked about day in and day out by everyone in town. And I certainly don't miss my mother breathing down my neck." I leaned against Godric, his arm wrapping around my shoulders as we watched the snow fall from the sky. It was such a peaceful moment, something that I never thought would ever occur, with Godric or anyone else in my life. It was a picture perfect moment, just sitting there, talking about ourselves, and nothing else possibly getting in the way. I knew right then and as much as I missed home, I would stay in Dallas for as long as I could, just to be with Godric. Because I had fallen much harder than I had initially thought.

"I think I miss my father sometimes." I admitted. "He and I were always really close. He never wanted to talk about my...well my gift. And I guess in a way, I liked that. He was the only one who didn't think I was completely crazy, well besides you now. He and I always seemed to have this bond."

"You love him very dearly."

"I do." I nodded, smiling as I thought of my father. "We had this spot that he and I always went to most nights. It was in the top part of the barn, right where the lookout was. He bought me a telescope a couple of years ago. We would just sit up there for hours, well into the night sometimes. We would just talk, or not even say anything at all."

"Do you regret leaving?" Godric asked, and as I looked up at him, I saw the sadness in his orbs, as if he felt guilty for keeping me from my former life.

"Not at all, Godric." I shook my head, leaning up and kissing him on the cheek. "Life the past year has been really difficult. My mother tried sending me to a therapist, thinking that these dreams were just all in my head. After a while, I honestly wondered if she was right. Maybe I actually was crazy. So I went. It didn't help of course. But my mother wanted it to. So I just let her believe that."

"You allowed her to believe that going to this therapist cured you of your visions?" Godric frowned. "You shouldn't have had to hide your remarkable gift, Taylor."

"No, I shouldn't have. But my mother...I suppose she loves me, she just doesn't want me to be different, you know? I think all along she just wanted me to be normal, so I would have to endure everything that I have. She just went about it the wrong way." I shrugged. "The last few months though, when these dreams of you began, I just lost all focus of everything and my mother realized that I had been lying all along. She got rather pissed over that. She just wanted the dreams to stop. She wanted me to be normal. But how can I be normal when this is who I am?"

"There is nothing wrong with being different, with being unique." His arm tightened around my shoulder as his fingers began tracing invisible designs in the palm of my hand. "You are a remarkable girl, Taylor. Never be ashamed of what you were blessed with."

"It's funny, because before I met you, I almost agreed with my mom. I just wanted to be normal. But now...well now I just want to embrace who I am, who I really am. I don't just want to pretend anymore. This is who I am, whether I want this or not. I can't keep hiding that. And you were the one who gave me the confidence to be okay with who I was, with the gift I was given." Even if it did happen to mean I had frightening visions of being kidnapped.

That thought flashed before me, and it took everything to try and keep my face neutral. I could tell by the look he was giving me that he had felt the sudden change in my mood, but he didn't say a word about it. Maybe he just thought it had to do with my mother. If he thought otherwise, he didn't voice his concern, which I was happy about. Because I couldn't tell him about the vision, not yet. I couldn't let him get involved, like my dream had shown me. If I had been able to decipher the dream concerning Godric and save his life, effectively changing the course of the vision, than I can certainly do the same here.

"Are you cold, you're shaking?" Godric questioned worriedly, his hand running up and down my jacket covered arm.

"I'm fine." I plastered on a fake smile. "Everything is perfectly fine."

I realized right then and there that I despised lying to Godric.

But unfortunately, I needed to do this.

For both of our sakes.


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen:**

"What are you doing?" Godric asked curiously, sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Reading, what does it look like?" I stuck my tongue out at the vampire over the top of his journal.

"You've been reading all night." he pointed out.

"You shouldn't have given me such a fascinating thing to read then." I chuckled and shook my head. "Five more minutes."

"You said that thirty minutes ago."

"You're a vampire, be patient." I slapped the hand away that attempted to pull the journal out of my hands.

"I am patient." He assured me, using his lightening quick speed to grab onto the journal and place it onto the nightstand before I even had a chance to blink. "But not when it comes to you."

I opened my mouth to speak, but I never got the chance to as he grabbed me by the hips and tugged me down onto the bed. I squealed as I squirmed on the bed, Godric climbing on top of me with an immature smirk crossing his lips. It was nice to see this side of him, to see the teenage boy that I knew was still trapped inside of him come out. I was sure he was never able to act in this way before, and I was glad that he was able to allow himself to with me. He was showing me a whole different side of him, a side that only made me fall for him even harder, if that was even possible.

"You drive me crazy, my little seer." He whispered huskily as he drew his lips down to the curve of my neck.

I let out a gasp as his cold lips brushed across my pulsing vein, my weak spot as I called it. He had yet to bite me, but it didn't matter. I felt pleasure beyond belief every time he pressed his lips against the sensitive spot. And he damn well knew it too.

"Your little seer?" I managed out, teasing the vampire on top of me as his hands slid up my side and underneath the hem of my loose t-shirt. I shuddered as his cold hands met with my bare skin, goose bumps rising on my arms.

"You'll always be mine." He nipped lightly at my earlobe, almost in a possessive manner. "Only mine."

"Only yours, huh?" I was grinning like a fool. "What if I didn't want to be yours?"

He lifted his gaze to meet mine, his fangs extending with a sharp click. I stared at those white razor sharp incisors, fascinated by them. They could tear into flesh, kill anyone instantly. And yet they belonged to the man I was insanely crazy for. A sane person wouldn't want to be near a vampire in this way all the time. A sane person wouldn't want to feel the touch of his hands, the teasing kisses applied by his soft lips. But I wasn't exactly a sane person, and never had been. Because right now, all I wanted was Godric, all of him. I had to stop myself though, remind myself that this was still going too fast. It had only been over a week since we began exploring our new relationship. A week was still not long enough, right? I was learning more and more about Godric, and vice versa, but it was still too early. It had to be, right? I shouldn't want to rip all of our clothes of and have him take me right here and now, right?

Oh who am I kidding, I was an eighteen year old girl whose hormones were through the roof with a downright gorgeous vampire on top of her.

It was never too soon.

But Godric must have know the battle of emotions surging through me, as he laid a handful off kisses on my neck leading to my lips before he drew himself off of me. I pouted, wishing his body hadn't left mine. But in a way, I was also glad someone had self control. He was respecting my innocent, naive wishes of waiting to have sex, at least until I was comfortable. And while I may not have known the difference, he clearly had and stopped ourselves before anything could go any further.

That only made me fall for him even more.

"How did I get so lucky?" Godric murmured as he laid beside me.

"Hm?" I curled up next to him, laying my head on his chest as his arm wrapped around my waist firmly.

"I'm a monster, Taylor, that's what I truly am. And yet you don't see me as that. You don't see me as anything but myself. How did I become so lucky?"

"You don't give yourself enough credit." My fingers began dancing across his chest, wondering what it would be like if his shirt hadn't been in the way. "I'm the one who's lucky. It's not every day a farm girl from Ohio has a gorgeous vampire desiring her, you know. Especially when I..."

"You're beautiful." He cut me off, kissing the top of my head softly as his hand ran through my long blonde locks. "You're beautiful in every single way, my little seer."

"I feel beautiful when I'm with you." I admitted, drawing even closer to the vampire. "And I like it when you call me yours."

"I could claim you, you know." He mentioned. "I could claim you as my...as my human."

"How does that work?" I wondered, staring up into those beautiful blue orbs.

"I would announce it to my nest, to ensure every vampire in my area knew you were mine." His arm tightened around me.

"Is that all?"

"There is another way..." he trailed off, and by the sound of his voice, I knew he was hesitant to continue.

"And what would that be?" I asked curiously.

"I could bite you." He replied softly, his gaze turning away. "It's an option I wouldn't consider however. You're so young, Taylor, I don't wish to take that innocence away."

"I think you're already on your way there." I chuckled before growing serious. "So you would...you'd have to drink my blood?"

"It would be to mark you, so everyone would see that I had claimed you for both your body and your blood."

"Is that why you want to claim me?" I dreaded asking this, but I knew I would have to eventually bring this up. "Is my body and blood the only reason that you, well that we're doing this?"

"No." He shook his head, his gaze returning to mine. "That's how the others see it. But I do not. I have never claimed a human, Taylor. I've only exchanged blood with one other, and that had been with the vampire I had created. You are the first. You're the first blood bond with a human, and you would be my first claim. My only claim."

I shuddered as he said this, and I found myself enjoying being _his_. It was horrible of course, being claimed by another. I should have felt insulted, like any true feminist would have. But I wasn't a feminist, and I liked the sound of Godric claiming me, of being his first and only human in his life. He was already special to me; he had been the moment I started having visions involving him. But this past week, we only grew closer, our bond blossoming beyond even our blood.

"I wouldn't mind." I surprised Godric by saying as I pushed myself up to stare him directly in the eye. "I wouldn't mind you...marking me."

Godric stared at me as if I had two heads. "Why would you want such a thing, Taylor? Why would you want me to bite you, to parade you around as mine?"

"Because I am yours, Godric." I tried to make him understand. "I know we honestly haven't known one another for all that long, and this whole new kissing, trying not to jump you, thing is extremely new and confusing, but I feel like I already am yours. As crazy as that might sound, it's the truth."

His hand reached up, twirling a strand of my hair around his fingers. "I don't wish to ever hurt you, my sweet."

"You won't." I assured him.

"If I were to do this, it would hurt." He shook his head with a frown. "And I...It will be hard for me to stop once I've started. You do not realize how intoxicating your blood truly is. A drop of it has driven me to the point that I wasn't sure I could control myself. Biting you...it could prove to be dangerous."

"I trust you, Godric." I cupped both of his cheeks. "I trust you completely Godric. I know it will hurt at first, and I understand this must be hard for you. But I do trust you Godric. You'll be able to stop."

"What if I couldn't?" a grim expression crossed his face. "I'm not sure what would come of me if I lost you, Taylor. You don't realize how truly important you are to me."

"You're just as important to me, Godric." I leaned in and kissed his lips. "You won't lose me, I promise."

"But what if..."

"I've had a vision since I've been here, Godric." I found myself blurting out. It was a stupid thing to do of course, because now Godric would feel the need to know what exactly I had seen in that vision. I would lie if I had to, just like I had been doing. But maybe if Godric realized that I've had a vision, that I seemed perfectly alright, minus the whole broken wrist and kidnapped by psychos thing, then maybe he would consider doing this.

It was insane to think that I wanted Godric to bite me. Did people honestly think this way? Or was I just being insane? Probably both. But I found that if given time, I could love Godric, and I already think I was well on my way to that point. And I understood that being claimed by Godric, it would mean that I was protected, by vampire law, from every other vampire in the world. And considering my little incidents lately, maybe that wasn't a bad thing. I was already bonded to this vampire for the rest of my life; I may as well be claimed by him too.

"What was your vision of?" Godric asked curiously, just like I had expected him to.

"It's not important. What's important is that I'm alive and well." Lie. Lie. Lie. One big fat lie. "Which means that you biting me didn't go all that badly."

"Unless I have not bitten you." He pointed out, still frowning.

"Bite me or no more kissing." I pulled away from him, climbing off the bed with my hands planted on my hips. "And I really really like the kissing, so you should really rethink think whole, I'm not going to bite you thing."

"Taylor..."

"I'm telling you that it's okay. And I know it's most likely insane. But I really care about you, Godric. I could see myself falling in love with you. And if this whole marking thing, you having to claim me, is part of the deal, then I'm okay with that. Because I want to be yours, Godric. I want everyone in the world to know that."

He sighed and looked away, and I knew at that moment that this conversation was over. Or at least for him it was. I was stubborn. I wasn't about to just give up and move on. I've never been that girl and I wasn't about to start now.

"I was serious about the no more kissing thing." I pressed, hoping he would give in.

But he didn't. He just continued to stare out the window, refusing to meet my gaze.

"Oh you're impossible." I threw my arms up into the air. "You may be a vampire, but you are such a thick headed man!"

Still, there was nothing.

"Fine, don't claim me. Maybe another vampire would like to claim me. I'm sure they won't hesitate to bite me. Maybe I'll even like it." That was a lie. Because honestly, how could anyone possibly compare to Godric?

But it certainly got his attention.

Godric was before me in a flash, his fangs peeking out just slightly as he looked down at me with his eyes darkening.

"You're mine." He growled lowly and in a possessive tone I've never heard come out of his mouth before. "We are not talking about some childish human traditions, Taylor. We are talking about walking a very dangerous line."

"Some lines are worth crossing, Godric." I was surprised I was even able to speak with how close Godric was. "They might be dangerous, but they're so worth it. Either I can let myself be scared and stay fenced in my own little world. Or I can cross over those dangerous lines and actually fall in love with you, Godric. Because that's what's happening here. It's been just over a week since this started and I already know for certain that I'm falling hopelessly and madly in love with you. So if you can't handle that, then fine, don't bite me, don't mark me, and certainly don't claim me. But if there's just a tiny part of you that could love me back, then please just do this for me. Because I really really want you, Godric. I want you in this big humiliating, frustrating way, and I honestly doubt that is ever going to change."

"I...I cannot, Taylor. You must understand." Godric reached a hand up to my cheek, but I took a step back away from him, trying desperately not to cry. Because him not wanting to claim me, it felt a whole lot like he didn't want me. And that felt like a knife slicing right through my heart. This was why girls didn't give their hearts out to men. It's why they kept themselves locked up so tight that they hardly looked at the opposite sex. Because they only break our hearts after we fall insanely for them. And that just wasn't fair.

"Please go." I whispered, looking away from him.

"Taylor..."

"I said, please go, Godric." I wrapped my arms around myself as I swallowed back the rising lump in my throat. "You've made yourself perfectly clear."

"I shouldn't have brought this up. You never would have known any differently." Godric sighed.

"Eventually I would have figured it out, Godric. And it would have been worse to know that you were keeping something like that from me. At least I know now, right? It would be safer if you claimed me, but no, you don't actually want to do that. I get it." I spat out bitterly.

"Will you please allow me to explain?"

"No, I won't allow you to explain." I looked up at him with teary eyes. "Just leave, Godric."

"Please don't be angry with me. I can feel your pain, your anger, and I despise it. Please, my sweet one." He cupped my cheek, ignoring my attempt to flinch away. "I'm sorry, alright? I apologize for hurting you. But you must realize how difficult such a decision is."

"We have a blood bond together, Godric. What makes this any bigger than that?" I argued.

"This would be harming you, and I will never forgive myself for doing that just because it might please me."

"I want to do this. I want you to claim me, Godric. I want you to mark me. I want you to bite me. I want everyone to know that I'm yours. What's so wrong with that?"

"Because I'm no good for you, Taylor! I'm not who you should be claimed by. I'm not worthy of you." He shook his head, turning himself away from me and moving towards the door. "You were right; I believe it's time that I left."

"Oh no," I hurried and put myself between him and the door. "You don't just get to leave after saying something like that."

"Taylor, please." He looked exhausted. "Move aside."

"No, because this," I pointed between us. "We're something now. I don't know what this something is, but by human definition, you're not just nothing when you make out with someone day after day and realize that you're going to fall in love with them. No, this here is something. So you don't get to leave."

"You were the one to ask me to leave." He reminded.

"Well I changed my mind!" I pressed my back up against the closed door, refusing to budge. "You can't just leave. We're going to discuss this. Because we're something Godric. And I want that something to grow, but it can't until we get over these stupid ass road blocks that stubborn head of yours always creates."

"Taylor..."

"Remember the whole, you say Taylor and I scream, thing? Yeah that totally applies right now." I glared up at him. "Just shut up and let me speak, please?"

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before nodding.

"Thank you." I inhaled sharply before continuing. "You need to get over the fact that you're a two thousand year old vampire. Because I get it. You were the big bad vampire that killed and used innocent people. I understand that. But you're not that person anymore. You changed. You said so in your journal, you needed to make a change, no matter the cost. And you made that change. You changed so much Godric. You're a good person. You're someone worthy of love. Why can't you see that?"

He opened his mouth to speak but I held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm not done yet." I gave him a pointed look. "I'm falling for you Godric. And that's insane right, because I'm only eighteen and I barely even know what the word love means. I never thought I would feel this way. Because it has to be impossible that every time I'm around you, it feels like there's a dozen butterflies in my stomach. Because my heart isn't supposed to sound like this, like it's beating so hard that it's just going to burst. But the funny thing is, is that I don't want any of that to stop. Because I like the way I feel when I'm around you. I like the way you make me feel. I don't feel like a freak when I'm around you. And I know to everyone else in the world, I'm a freak, and I've accepted that. But to you, I'm this special, beautiful girl that you've looked passed the crazily insane me to find. And I'm pretty sure that's made me fallen for you even more."

"Taylor..."

"Stop." I cut him off sharply. "You don't get to tell me that you're not worthy of me, that you're not good enough. Because I'm sorry to say, but I'm the one not worthy of you. Because you're handsome, Godric. You're beautiful and by standards, you are so out of my league. And yet, here you are, in my hotel room, with me. So don't tell me that ever again. Because it's so not the truth."

He stared down at me for the longest time that I swore he was just going to shove me to the side and walk out. But that's not what he ended up doing. Instead, he closed the gap between us, cradling my head in his hands before he captured my lips with his own. I didn't want to break my resolve so easily, afraid that he may only be doing this to distract me before leaving. But the feel of his lips was just so damn addicting that I couldn't help myself as I moaned and pressed myself against him, wanting to feel his stony cold body against mine. He pushed me back against the closed door, his hands falling to my hips as he grinded himself against me. Apparently my verbal beating had been arousing to the vampire, because I could definitely feel the growing bulge in his pants. I almost found myself wanting him to take me right then and there, my self control absolutely in shreds. Once again, for a second time that night, it was Godric who controlled the situation, who had enough common sense to stop when he did or else I wouldn't have been able to stop myself.

"I want you to claim me." I breathed out in pants as Godric laid his forehead against mine. "I'm not an idiot, I know what that means. But I don't care. I. Want. You. And that means all of you. Well maybe except _that_ right now."

A soft chuckle emitted from Godric's lips and I couldn't help but smile up at him hopefully.

"I need more time." His blue orbs met mine. "That's all I ask for."

"I guess that's fair." I sighed but nodded. He was allowing me time to become comfortable before I gave him all of my innocence. It was only fair that I gave him time for this. I suppose we both had our own speed bumps to overcome before we could truly move forward. But I had faith that it would happen, for both of us. "So what now?"

"Are you angry with me?" He asked softly.

"Not really." I shook my head. "I was just frustrated that you never seem to think you're good enough."

"Perhaps I'll have to work on that." He caressed my cheek with his thumb. "I care greatly for you, Taylor. I just don't wish to harm you, that is my greatest fear."

"I understand that, Godric." I slid my hand up his chest. "Maybe we should just forget tonight even happened. When we're ready to do this, we'll talk about it again. Until then, none of this happened. We can get back to more important matters."

"And what would those be?" a wicked smirk crossed those soft lips.

I grinned up at him. "Oh I think you know what I mean."


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen:**

"There's nothing on." I muttered to myself as I flipped through the channels as I sat bored in my hotel room just counting down the hours until Godric would arrive. But it was still only the middle of the afternoon. There were still hours until the sun would set. And those were long antagonizing hours that I just couldn't sit through. I thought about walking around Dallas, but there just wasn't anything particular that peaked my interest. I couldn't shop; I couldn't go out for lunch. I was pretty much tied to the hotel for all my needs as Godric was generously paying for my stay. I barely even had a single penny to my name. I knew that if I was going to stay here, I would have to find a job eventually, to earn money to pay Godric back. Because I was simple farm girl, I had to pay Godric back for paying for my hotel room, for any possible charges. I just wouldn't feel right if I at least didn't attempt to try to do the right thing.

But that would require going out into the cold Dallas afternoon, the snow lightly falling outside. And while I wasn't afraid of the cold weather or snow, it looked like the skies were going to open up at any moment. It was just one of those days that you stayed home curled up in a nice warm blanket with a good book.

At that thought, I remembered the journal laying on my night stand. I left on the news in the background as I pulled the worn journal into my lap and opened it halfway to where I had left off. Godric had met the seers and were learning of their abilities, though from what he wrote, both women seemed cautious to tell him anything. And I didn't exactly blame them. I had been cautious my entire life with my gift, or curse as I had referred to it in the past. It wasn't exactly something you told everyone you met. The younger of the seers, the inexperienced one, she seemed more willing to share what she knew to Godric of the past. She reminded me so much of myself, and for a moment I wondered if that was the only reason Godric cared for me. But from the journal, it didn't seem as there was any romantic connection to either of the seers, and I was surprised by how relieved I was at that. I mean, I knew Godric had obviously been with other women in the past. I suppose I just didn't want to read or hear about anyone else. I wanted to be the focus of his attention right now, at least in the female department.

_She had been learning to control her abilities. I watched every single night as she worked with her mentor, clearing her mind, vanishing all thoughts as she allowed the power from within to flow through her. It was fascinating to watch the magic create itself right before my very eyes. She had never had a vision outside of her dreams, and yet that night, she had seen the future while she was wide awake. She was shaken, as pale as a vampire. She had been sick for weeks after the first vision had been seen. But she had done it. She had learned to control the visions. They were still spontaneous. She would simply just sit there, speaking with me when they would occur. But she was growing stronger every single day._

I was fascinated.

This girl, this seer, she had been able to control it? Her visions, they had occurred through dreams just as mine had. But she had been able to control her powers, manipulate them to see the visions while she had been wide awake. Would I be able to do so? Would I be able to get to the point where I would be able to see the future, have a vision while I was awake? Part of me hoped for it. I wanted to be able to control the powers I held inside. I wanted to be able to have a vision at a moment's notice, for them to occur when I wished them to. I knew it would take time, and from what Godric had written, it would take a toll on me both physically and mentally, but it was a risk I was willing to take.

I was in the middle of reading when the news broadcast changed to a debate over vampire rights. I vaguely heard what was being spoken, but it wasn't until I heard a male's voice that my head popped up.

"_The vampires as a group have cheated death. And when death has no meaning, then life has no meaning. And when life has no meaning, it is very very easy to kill."_

I tilted my head to the side as I stared at the TV, watching as Reverend Steve Newlin, who I could remember as one of the founders of the Fellowship of the Sun, an outrageous group of church radicals against vampires, debated against Nan Flanagan, an actually vampire who I recalled as fighting for vampire rights. It wasn't the topic or even the people that I cared about. No, it was that voice. It just sounded so familiar. I wasn't sure where I had heard it before. Maybe I was just remembering the many times I've been in the supermarket with my mother, listening to him rant on and on about how vampires are abominations and we should all 'see the light'. But as I continued to listen to him speak, I just knew that wasn't right.

"_No amount of political grandstanding can hide the fact that you know who killed my family. Their blood in on your hands."_

I frowned as I muted the TV, trying to focus on where I had heard that damn voice before. I knew it wasn't just because Steve Newlin was on TV far too much. So where else had I heard him?

And that's when it hit me.

It wasn't one of his appearances on TV I was remembering.

Oh no, it was a dream.

That was where I had heard Steve Newlin's voice before. He was the man that I had been straining to see in my vision. He had been my kidnapper. Steve Newlin, a man of god he called himself, was going to kidnap me in the near future. Needless to say, I was a little freaked out.

I just about tossed the remote for the TV across the room, nearly breaking the TV in the process. The screen flashed to back as the remote fell to the ground, the power button being pressed in its fall. I stared at the TV in horror, as images from the vision flashed before my eyes. I remembered the fear, I remembered the pain, I remembered the face of the man who had yanked me roughly to my feet, not caring at all about my broken wrist. And he, Steve Newlin, was the one who orchestrated it all. But how could he? How could he possibly preach about god when he was kidnapping an innocent girl and for what reason? Because he disliked vampires? Because they killed his family? But this wasn't right. It wasn't like Godric had anything to do with that. It wasn't like I of all people had anything to do with this.

So why the hell was I going to be kidnapped?

"Oh god." I breathed out, my heart racing in my chest as I tried to calm myself down.

But it was a bit difficult when I knew that at some point in the somewhat near future, I was going to be kidnapped. And I knew exactly who the kidnapper was going to be. People weren't supposed to know these things. Sane, normal people didn't know when or if they were ever going to be kidnapped by crazy psychotic church people. But oh no, I had to be different. I had to be born with this damn 'gift' and sentenced to this fate.

"This is so not good." I leaned back against the headboard of the bed, my eyes closing. "God this is beyond not good."

* * *

"Are you alright, Taylor?" Godric eyed me closely as we sat across from one another in the same vampire friendly restaurant we had ended up making out in only a few weeks ago.

I nodded, though I wasn't really paying any attention to what he was saying as I pushed around the pasta on my plate. I wasn't hungry. Actually, part of me didn't even want to be here. But Godric and I had planned to go out tonight, to get out of my hotel room and act like normal couples did. Except, how could I act like a normal couple when I knew that I was going to be kidnapped by Steve Newlin at some point? People didn't take kidnappings lightly, and that was after they occurred. How was I supposed to function knowing that it could happen at any time? My visions didn't give time lines. They didn't give me a time and date. They just happened and I didn't know when or where it would occur. And I think that was the worst of it. I now knew who were responsible for the fear and pain I would endure. But I wouldn't know when. Would I have to look over my shoulder every single day until it happened? Would I be able to stop it at all? There were just too many questions and not enough answers.

"Taylor?" Godric reached over the table and grasped my hand. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I attempted to force on a smile. "I'm fine, really."

"I don't believe that." He frowned. "I can feel exactly what you're feeling, my little seer. Tell me what's bothering you. You've been upset and worried all night."

"I'm fine, honestly Godric." I squeezed his hand, not wanting to worry him.

Though maybe it was time to worry him? Maybe it was time to involve him after all?

I shook my head, as if trying to rid myself of the idea, and tried to force down some of the expensive meal Godric was paying for. But I only was able to get down a few bites before my stomach started churning and I had to push the plate away.

"Taylor, tell me what's wrong." He pressed. "Tell me what's bothering you. And don't lie to me. I can tell when you're lying."

I sighed as I looked up to meet his worried gaze. Maybe I should just tell him. It would be safer that way, wouldn't it be? I didn't want Godric to get involved, for him to come and attempt to rescue me when I was kidnapped only to meet a worst fate. But if I didn't tell Godric to begin with, then unless I could find a way around this, it was going to happen anyways. Maybe he could help me control my visions by then. Maybe I would be able to see when and how it would happen and we could avoid it all together. There were just too many what ifs, too many possibilities. I needed to tell him, to talk to him about this before I drove myself crazy.

I opened my mouth to just blurt it all out, to tell him the truth, when our waiter, ironically enough, the same waiter from the last time, walked up to our table to ask how my meal was. Godric sent the waiter a dark look, but it was as if the waiter didn't even notice there was anyone else at the table except me. Normally I would have been flattered that someone was looking at me like he was. But as his gaze fell to my chest, a look sweeping across his face as if he was envisioning me naked, I just didn`t want to deal with him. But it looked like Godric would take care of him for me, though not in the way I approved of. He leapt out of his chair and wrapped his hand tightly around the front of the waiter's button up shirt, his fangs extending with a click. My eyes grew as wide as saucers as I stared at him in shock. Everyone had stopped around us, watching the scene unfold. I hesitated before popping up out of my chair, ready to stop Godric before he did anything stupid. He was the Sheriff after all; he couldn't just attack anyone he pleased in such a public place.

"Godric." I hissed, tugging on his arm. "Let him go."

"He was looking at you crudely." Godric growled. "And he will apologize for doing so."

The waiter looked like he was about to wet his pants and I almost felt sorry for him. He was just acting like any typical man would; Godric couldn't exactly fault him for that. And he certainly shouldn't look ready to rip him into a million pieces.

"Godric, its fine." I tried to calm him down. "Just let him go, alright? You're making a scene."

"Apologize." Godric demanded, shaking the waiter. "It's not appropriate to look at _taken_ women in such a crude way. Apologize now."

"I-I'm...I'm s-sorry." The waiter stuttered, his face paler than a vampire's as he shook in fright.

"See, he apologized, now let him go." I tried to pry Godric's hand off of the waiter's shirt. "Godric stop it."

Godric narrowed his eyes but finally released the poor waiter. He took off immediately, shooting right through the swinging kitchen doors. I shook my head as I looked up at Godric with a frown on my face.

"What was that, Godric?" I demanded, crossing my arms over my chest. If I hadn't of been in such a terrible mood, I would have enjoyed the jealousy Godric had displayed. But I was in no mood to deal with this right now. There were more important matters at hand than an innocent waiter who didn't look like he could have hurt a fly.

"He was looking at you."

"He has eyes; he's allowed to use them." I pursed my lips together. "That was uncalled for, _sheriff_."

Godric looked down at me in surprise. "Taylor, I..."

"Can we please just leave? I'm not hungry and I honestly don't think anyone wants us here after that." I reached for my jacket.

Godric sighed but nodded, offering to help me with my coat. I shifted away from him as he tossed down a handful more bills than what was needed to cover our bill before holding out a hand for me to take. I ignored the hand as I brushed passed him towards the exit. Godric muttered something behind me, though it had been so low that even if it had been spoken in English, I never would have known what he had said. This night was nothing how I planned it to go. We were supposed to have a nice night out, one that would rival the last time we had been here. But that hadn't happened at all. Maybe I should just never have left my bed today. Maybe things would have turned out a whole lot different.

"Taylor, I'm sorry." Godric reached for my arm once we were outside in the parking lot. He pulled me to a stop, turning me around as he reached a hand up to cup my cheek. "I lost control, I apologize."

"Okay." I shrugged, my gaze shifting to the side.

"Little one..." Godric sighed heavily. "I didn't like the way he was staring at you and my...the monster from within did not like it one bit. I'm truly sorry for creating a scene and for whatever else it appears that I've done."

"You're blindly apologizing?" I raised an eyebrow as I let Godric guide my gaze back to his apologetic blue orbs.

"Yes, because it appears as if I've done something to upset you, and I'm deeply sorry. This evening has not gone at all like I've planned." he frowned as his thumb caressed my cheek. "I'm sorry for that, my little seer. I'm sorry for upsetting you, I'm sorry for what I allowed myself to do, and I'm sorry for whatever else."

I sighed, my shoulders slumping as my resolve vanished. How could I possibly be angry with this perfect vampire? He didn't even know what was wrong, but he was apologizing anyways. What other man would do such a thing? I don't even think it was normal for a vampire to even be apologizing for something he's done wrong. But apologizing blindly, a man, or a vampire, would never do such a thing. And that only caused my heart to melt into goo right in his hands. This damn vampire and the way he could make me feel!

"You haven't done anything." I tried to smile up at him, only I failed miserably. "Well I mean, you did attack that poor waiter for no plausible reason. But besides that, you've done everything right."

"Then what is upsetting you so dearly?" his eyebrows furrowed. "It pains me to see you in such a way and feel like I cannot help you."

"Your amazingly perfect, Godric." I felt the tension in my shoulders leave as he drew closer. I wrapped my arms around his torso, enjoying the way that his body felt against mine. It felt right, like this was where I was supposed to be at all times.

"What's wrong, my dear one? What is it that is bothering you so much?" he questioned as he ran a hand through my hair in a comforting manner as I laid my cheek against his chest.

I sighed. "Just promise not to be mad."

"How could I possibly be mad at you, my dear?" he kissed the top of my head. "Tell me what it is."

"It's just..." I inhaled sharply. I never thought of how he would react once I told him. Would he be angry that I kept this from him? Would he react in the same manner that he had in the restaurant, possessive and protective? Though, the latter I wouldn't mind at all. I felt safe when I was in Godric's arms, like nothing in the world could possibly touch me when I had my strong and protective vampire at my side. But if this vision did come true, then what? Would Godric be taken away from me? I wasn't so sure I could take that. I shuddered as the idea flashed before me and my arms tightened around the vampire.

"Taylor?" he must have sensed the urgency, the fear that had shot right through me. "Something happened, didn't it?"

"I...I had a vision." I whispered softly, knowing he could hear me perfectly.

"You had a vision?" He clasped a finger under my chin and forced me to look up at him. "When did this occur? Today?"

"A little bit ago." I chewed on my bottom lip as I confessed.

"How long ago?"

"You know the night you came up to my room all worried because you had been woken up during the day and then I didn't show up outside the hotel?" I could see the wheels working on Godric's head as he realized just how long I've kept this from him. "Well that was the day I had the vision. I woke up from it, that's why I had been so scared. It hadn't been a nightmare at all, it had been a vision."

"Are you sure of this?" a frown settled on his lips as he drew away slightly, his eyes searching mine. "Are you sure it wasn't merely a dream."

I shook my head. "It wasn't just a dream. It's hard to explain, but I just get this feeling when I have a vision, when I have a dream that I know will come true. It took a long time to realize how to pick the dreams out, but I've been getting better at it. And this dream, I'm sure it's a vision."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Godric asked, and I could tell by his tone that he wasn't at all happy.

"I didn't want you to get involved, for you to get hurt." I let my gaze fall down to the ground. "I'm sorry. I should have told you when it first happened. I was just scared, and I thought I could find a way to change it. I mean, I saved you and stopped my vision from happening. I just thought that maybe I could do the same thing without having to get you involved."

"What was this vision of?" he demanded to know.

"Godric..."

"What was it of, Taylor?"

"I was..." I swallowed the rising lump in my throat as I remembered the vision clearly, as I remembered who exactly would be the one to kidnap me. "I was kidnapped."

"Kidnapped?" Godric sounded horrified. "You had a vision that you had been kidnapped and you didn't think to tell me this sooner?"

"I have a good reason." I fidgeted with my hands.

"And what was that?" he crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's just...you were there, well you were mentioned in the vision, and I just...I didn't want you to get even more involved. I didn't want you to get hurt." I tried to explain, looking up into those blue eyes that were a mixture of anger and concern.

"But it was perfectly alright for you to be the one in danger?"

"Well...I mean..." I didn't really know what to say to that. I mean, he had a point. I was so worried about keeping him safe that I hadn't really thought of my own safety. But the fact that I was telling him now, that counted for something, right? "I'm sorry for not telling you Godric. I was just scared. I've never had a vision that involved me directly. It's always been of other people. That's never happened before and I was scared."

One look into my teary eyes and Godric's anger had disappeared just like that. He sighed as he wrapped his arms tightly round me, drawing me back against him. I squeezed my eyes shut as I hugged Godric as tightly as I could, just wanting to feel safe and protected.

"What drove you to telling me now?" He asked curiously as he rubbed my back soothingly.

"I..." I began to tell him how I came to realize that it was Steve Newlin that would be the one who would kidnap me, but before I could, the sound of Godric's phone broke through the tense night. I sighed as I fought to stay connected to the vampire. We ignored the ringing phone for a moment, thinking whoever was trying to call would just go away. But the ringing was persistent. After a moment, Godric sighed and unwrapped a single arm from around me as he pulled out his phone to answer it.

"What?" He snapped into the phone, not happy at all that we had been interrupted. His tone immediately changed however, causing me to stare up at him curiously. "What do you mean? No I had no idea. I'm not sure. Yes, yes I'll be there shortly."

I frowned as he hung the phone up, confusion set in his striking orbs.

"What's wrong?" I questioned curiously. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, yes everything is fine." Godric nodded, and I was certain if this bond was reversed, I would have felt that he was lying. "Lets take you back to your hotel; I have some...business to attend to."

* * *

Godric sighed as he opened the door to his home much earlier in the evening then he would have liked. He had planned to spend most of the evening with Taylor. He had ensured that all of his paperwork and business had been dealt with over the past few days so he could spend a pleasant evening with the human he had found himself falling for. That was of course, before the events of tonight could have been predicted. He had expected a nice simple evening, with perhaps a bit of activity once they had returned back to the hotel. But they had hardly spent more than five minutes there before parting ways. And now he was left wondering the contents of the vision Taylor had, all the whole confused as to why he had been called by his lieutenant when he had been sure to tell her not to bother him tonight.

"You're here." Isabel met him in the front hallway.

"Why is he..."

"He hasn't said." Isabel shook her head as she waved her hand towards the living room. "He's through there."

"Thank you Isabel." Godric nodded, a frown settled on his lips. "Would you perhaps be able to do me a favour?"

"Of course, Godric." The Hispanic vampire nodded her head. "What is it, Sheriff?"

"Can you keep an eye on Taylor tonight? Don't let it be known that you're there. Just watch from afar." Godric gazed up at the woman with concern in his eyes.

"Is everything alright, Sheriff?" Isabel frowned, not liking the tone of Godric's vice. She hadn't known Taylor all that well, but she had seen firsthand the happiness that mere human had brought Godric in such a short amount of time. If she was in any danger, she would be honoured to protect her in any way. She wanted to preserve Godric's happiness, to bring the light back into his eyes.

"I fear for her safety, Isabel." Godric sighed. "Just ensure her safety for me tonight. I would like someone watching her at all times, if at all possible."

"I'll arrange it." Isabel assured him. "She has brought a great amount of happiness into your life, Sheriff; I'll do everything in my power to protect her."

"Thank you, Isabel." He offered her a tiny smile. "You are a good lieutenant."

Isabel offered the vampire an assuring smile before she took off into the night to keep watch over the young girl who had stolen the heart of her Sheriff. Godric meanwhile glanced towards the living room, worried as to what would meet him once he stepped inside the room. But he couldn't put it off. A dark, terrifying feeling was sitting in the pit of his stomach, and if his age had taught him anything, it was to always trust his intuition. So he braced himself as he stepped through the hallway and into the living room, hoping that for whatever reason his guest had arrived, it wasn't for a terrible reason.

"Godric." The vampire stood, his great height towering over Godric.

"Eric, my child, it's been many years."


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen:**

"_I apologize for my sudden departure last night, Taylor. I'll unfortunately be unavailable for the next coming days. Please accept this phone. It is not a gift, but instead a way for me to contact you. I very much look forward to our next meeting. Please be careful, my little one. I couldn't bear to lose you."_

"Seriously?" I stared down at the rather expensive, and I had to admit, tempting phone that Godric had sent in one of his packages to my hotel. "I mean, seriously?"

I hadn't been happy at all when I had been called down to the front desk for another package. I had known this time that it was from Godric, and I of course hadn't been wrong. I had been shocked when I found a phone inside of the smaller package, not what I had been expecting at all. There was no note, but the explanation had been completely in the voice message he had left me on the phone that now appeared to be mine. Part of me wanted to just toss the phone into the garbage, much like I had done my last phone. I was frustrated that Godric had just taken off last night without much of an explanation, only to use voice mail to tell me that I wouldn't see him for a few days for whatever reason. Couldn't he think of a better way to tell me that? Couldn't he have taken five minutes out of whatever was keeping him busy and come tell me that himself? Really, he had to use a phone? A two thousand year old vampire was using voice mail. Really?

Another part of me however, was worried. I was worried about Steve Newlin kidnapping me, and I was worried about why Godric had been called away last night. Did it have something to do with me? Was there something going on in Dallas that I wasn't aware of? What had been so concerning that pulled Godric away for this long period of time? This didn't just seem like it would be a few days of Sheriff business and paperwork. No, this seemed like it was going to take much longer than that, whatever the hell this was.

"Seriously?" I muttered to myself, kicking at the loose rocks beneath my feet.

I sighed as I stared up at the partly cloudy sky. I thought about taking a walk, to clear my head, but a small tiny part of me was scared to. I mean, Steve Newlin didn't even know who I was, but that didn't mean that I wasn't afraid that suddenly I would just be taken off the streets by the crazy church group. Maybe I was just some random agenda they had. They didn't necessarily need a reason for it, just that I had been spending time around vampires. Some of the hotel staff knew about that, or anyone in the restaurant, so it wasn't entirely crazy. Or maybe this would be a targeted attack, and if that was the case, then why? Why would I be targeted, why would Godric be? He was a kind vampire who didn't get involved in anything that didn't involve him. He hadn't acted out of character at all, except for last night, and that had more to do with his blind jealousy than anything.

"This is so confusing." I rubbed the bridge of my nose before pushing myself up to my feet and dumping the remnants of the package into the garbage and pocketing the phone. I was going to at least keep it until I could hit Godric for trying to shower me with yet another gift. He said that it was only a way to get into contact with me, but I knew different. But I couldn't exactly get rid of it, not until I talked with Godric next. So I would have to lug it around, not that it would be much of a problem.

"I need to do something." I ran a hand through my hair, a ray of sunshine peeking through the clouds. I saw that as a sign that I needed to remain outside, the first sign of sun in a good couple of days. It would be risky, but as long as I kept to busy streets and had my phone ready to dial 911 at all times, I should be fine. It was the middle of the day anyways, who kidnapped people in the middle of the day?

"That's morbid." I shook my head, trying to rid myself of the thoughts of my impending kidnapping before beginning my walk.

I took turn after turn, making sure to keep to the busy streets of Dallas, just wanting to take a few hours to myself, to clear my head. And the walk certainly was needed. I hadn't been outside in the sun, during the day, for what felt like weeks. I had found my internal clock changing while I was around Godric. I would try my best to stay up most of the night while we were together, not wanting to fall asleep during the short time we had together. And that only resulted in sleeping during a good portion of the day. Whenever I did wake up, I felt sluggish and didn't do much more than watch some TV or read Godric's journal. I needed this, to just get outside, to be by myself without a vampire looming close by. It was just me, myself, and I.

I wandered around the city for hours, and it honestly did help. I didn't figure anything out, and my whole kidnapping problem hadn't been miraculously solved just like that. But it did give me a moment of peace for the first time in weeks. And I think I needed that more than anything.

"Today will be a good day." I whispered to myself, gaining a few looks from those passing by me.

I ignored them as I glanced into a few store windows. I found myself stopping short outside of a small lively dinner, a sign in the window catching my eye. Help Wanted. Well that sounded intriguing. I was looking for a job, knowing that I would be staying here in Dallas for a good while. And I did have restaurant experience, I had waitressed while I was still in high school. This seemed like the perfect opportunity to earn some money while also staying in the same city as the vampire I had fallen for. And it would give me something to do other than worrying over my unfortunate fate. Maybe it would be safer to be around people all the time, to have people that knew and cared about me other than vampires, that would miss me. That's what people always said right? It was always good to have a group of people who would notice if you went missing.

God knows I needed that.

* * *

"Are you going to tell me why you're here yet, Eric?" Godric gazed across his office at the progeny he had not seen in nearly 70 years. "I allowed for you to diverge the question last night, but I wish to know why my evening was interrupted because of your abrupt arrive."

"Who were you speaking of to Isabel?" Eric Northman, the former blonde Viking, turned towards his maker from where he stood beside the filled bookcases. His blonde hair fell to his large muscular shoulders that were highlighted by the tank top he wore over his torso. Blue eyes met blue eyes, nearly identical to one another despite the thousand years difference between their births as both human and vampire.

"No one." Godric stood from his chair and moved around his desk to join Eric. "Eric, an answer to my question please."

"Can't I visit my maker without an ulterior motive?" Eric smirked down at his maker, his large form nearly twice the size of the much older and wiser vampire before him.

"As this is you, no." Godric crossed his arms over his chest. "Eric?"

"Oh fine, if you must know." Eric rolled his eyes as he walked passed his maker to one of the chairs sitting in front of the desk. The chair looked like it was nearly about to tip over with the large vampire's form lounging across it. Godric frowned in disproval of his progeny, but didn't utter a word as he sat in the chair beside him, hoping Eric would indulge his reasons for coming here after such a long time since their last meeting. It had been in Germany, after yet another failed attempt to find the vampire group that had killed Eric's family nearly a thousand years before then. Eric had been frustrated and had run off on his own. Godric had given him his time, knowing that the Viking merely needed time to himself to calm down. He called on his own progeny, Pam, who he had allowed to go off on her own after only a few decades, and as far as Godric knew, the two had been together ever since. He didn't know for certain of course, as he hadn't spoken a word to his child in several decades. He had always felt him, always known when he was safe and when he was in danger. He had never called for him, never had been in enough danger for Godric to rush to his side to ensure safety. But he had kept a close eye on that blood bond that had been forged the moment he had turned Eric. He was his only progeny, and he would always love Eric like a father would a son.

"Well?" Godric pressed.

"I'm sure you've heard of the attack in Louisiana a week ago." The amusement had left Eric's blue orbs as he settled down to business. "Vampires in my area were killed, burnt alive."

"I'm sorry for your loss." Godric nodded at his progeny. He had indeed heard the news, all vampires had. There had been an uproar in his own area that he had to nip in the bud before anything could happen. The vampires believed it to be the act of the fellowship of the sun and wanted to retaliate. But they couldn't, not without proof, and not even with evidence. Humans would only continue to fear them if they attacked every threat against their lives. They could only earn the respect and equal rights they sought out if they remained civil and weren't feared.

"They were travellers." Eric shrugged, as if he didn't care at all that the vampires were dead. "They were more of a nuisance than anything, leaving dead bodies lying around. They're better dead than alive."

Godric shook his head at Eric's show of leadership, or therefore, lack of. But they were different people, they had different personalities. That had been apparent in the thousand years they had been together.

"Who had done such a terrible thing?" Godric asked curiously, though he was afraid to know the answer.

"Who else, Godric?" Eric frowned.

"You think it was the fellowship." Godric was slowly beginning to understand why Eric was here. "You believe they were the ones who killed these vampires."

"There's been an uprising of that damn church in my area lately. More threats and attacks then I wanted to take on. Everything was peaceful until he Great Revelation."

"It has seemed to cause more trouble that good." Godric nodded sadly with a sigh. He wished they could communicate with humans, that they could all just live their lives amongst one another. But it was only wishful thinking. Humans would always be afraid of what they didn't understand. And it didn't seem like they would ever understand vampires. Taylor was the only human who he had met that thought differently. She had nearly been killed by a vampire, and yet she still wanted to be with him, to fall in love with him despite what he was. She certainly was a fascinating girl.

"Why do you have that look on your face?" a look of disgust crossed Eric's face.

"What look?" Godric tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Like you look like some love sick teenager." Eric's nose scrunched in disproval. "Who was the girl you were speaking of last night, Godric?"

"No one." Godric repeated his answer from earlier.

"I don't believe that." Eric sat forward, his orbs searching Godric's. "I know you too well, Godric. I know when you're lying to me."

"She is none of your concern, my child." Godric stood and moved around his desk, busying himself with organizing the paperwork on top.

"She seems to be of someone's concern." There was a hint of intrigue in Eric's eyes. "Who is she?"

"No one, Eric." Godric snapped finally, his patience growing thin. "I live a private life, Eric, you know this. Stop trying to dig where there is nothing for you to learn."

Eric raised an eyebrow but nodded, sitting back in his chair. He was intrigued as to who his maker had been talking about the previous night to his lieutenant. He had heard their hushed conversation, his concern over some girl. Who was she? He had a sickening feeling that she was human, and that disgusted him. He knew Godric had become soft over the last century, he had seen it happen himself. But he never would have thought that his once ruthless maker would become _friends_ with a human. It was impossible. It was blasphemy.

"Keep your thoughts to yourself, Eric." Godric lifted his gaze to meet Eric's, sending him a long pointed look that told him he knew exactly what his progeny was feeling. He knew Eric would not approve of his relationship with Taylor, and that was why he kept her a secret, so he would not find out about her. Eric had always detested humans, just as much as he once had. He couldn't blame him; Godric hadn't taught him anything else. But over time, he had changed, and he had hoped Eric had as well. But Eric was a stubborn Viking, he always had been and Godric feared he always would be. He didn't mind if humans came to his bar, spent their money, and offered their blood. But that was as far as Eric could stand them. Godric wished for more. He wished he could introduce the two most important people in his lives. But he couldn't risk it. Eric wouldn't be pleased and he couldn't allow Taylor to find herself in another terrifying situation, not when she was now having visions concerning her own kidnapping.

"You're worried." Eric mused. "What's wrong, Godric?"

"Are you certain the fellowship were the ones who killed these vampires?" Godric retuned back to the topic they had originally been talking about. Eric had come here for a reason, and it wasn't to dig into his personal life.

"There's no proof, but who else could it be." Eric frowned. "They seek to destroy us, all of us."

"I wish it could be different." Godric sighed.

"It never will be, Godric. Humans and vampires, we will never live among one another in peace. And I don't see why we should."

"They're afraid of us, my child, and they have reason to be. We have not changed in thousands of years. We're still the same ruthless creatures." Godric pointed out, settling in his leather chair as he ran a hand down his exhausted face. "The fellowship threats have been rising here as well."

"Someone should kill Newlin and get it over with." Eric growled.

"No." Godric shook his head. "That won't solve anything. We need to communicate with him, come to an understanding. We cannot create a war."

"Why not?" Eric asked stubbornly, looking like he would have enjoyed just ripping every single head off of the fellowship of the sun members. "It would solve all of our problems."

"But it would only cause bloodshed that is unneeded. They will fear us even more."

"So let them. The great revelation was the worst idea. We cannot expect humans to accept us. And We should not have to accept them. We are two different races. We're superior."

"Are we?" Godric raised an eyebrow. "Are we truly the superior race?"

"Of course we are, Godric." Eric rolled his eyes.

"I'm starting to believe that isn't the truth." Godric looked off to the side as his mind began dwindling to the same girl he had not been able to get off his mind for the past few weeks. Taylor was incredible. She did not see him for what he was, for the terrible things he had done in the past. She could have judged him, and she should have. But instead, she saw passed that, she saw who he truly was on the inside. She was an incredible human, with an even more amazing gift.

"You have that look on your face again." Eric didn't try to hide his discontent. "It's truly disgusting, Godric."

"Is that all, Eric?" Godric's expression hardened. "Or is there another reason your here?"

Eric sighed, feeling the annoyance and anger that was beginning to surge through his maker. And he knew first hand not to get on his maker's bad side. He just wished he knew what it was that was going through Godric's head, so he could understand why such a human had fascinated him enough to care about her safety.

"Eric?" Godric pressed.

"Our areas are receiving the same threats, Godric. And I...I do not have the same patience that you do." Eric looked away as he admitted his need for guidance, for help. He had never been able to admit he needed help in the past, not even to his maker. He was stubborn. He was a Viking after all. He should not need help. But even he had found himself at a dead end, not sure what to do anymore. He needed to protect his area, and he knew Godric was right in the end. They could not attack these annoying little vultures, even if that was all he wished to do. It was why he had come here in the first place, to seek out Godric's advice. Perhaps they could come up with a plan together, just like they always had in the past. They worked in unison as a team. They shared the qualities that the other may not possess. It was a perfect partnership, one that Eric actually had found himself missing over the last few decades. He had his own progeny, but she could not fill the void of his maker. He had been with Godric for a thousand years. He had given him a new life; they had fought side by side. And just like that, he had run off stubbornly and in a fit of rage, leaving his maker behind. He would not regret his decisions, but he would always wonder if leaving had been the best idea.

"You need my help." Godric couldn't help but smile just the slightest. It took Eric a great deal of courage to admit such a thing. And as a father would with a son, Godric couldn't refuse Eric need for guidance. He loved his child, his son, and would do anything for him.

Even if it did mean pulling away from Taylor, just until he could sort things out with Eric.

* * *

Days passed, and still there was no word from Godric. I was starting to become frustrated. I knew that whatever it was keeping him busy, it had to be important. There was no other reason for Godric to pull away from me so suddenly, was there? He could have been angry over the fact that I hadn't told him right away about the vision. But I had explained the reasoning to him. He didn't seem too angry when he had dropped me off at the hotel that night. But he hadn't exactly stayed around for much longer than for the brief kiss he laid on my lips before taking off. And now I could barely even remember the kiss, and I ached for more. It hadn't been this bad before. We had taken a few days apart in the past few weeks, but this just felt different. This wasn't because of ordinary sheriff business; no this was something much more than that. But what? He deserved some privacy, and he certainly had a past that I knew nothing about, but we were in each other's lives now, that connection had been forged both by the blood and the fact that we had been kissing like wild animals for the past few weeks. I wanted some answers, and I honestly thought that I deserved at least something from the vampire.

I didn't try calling though. It wouldn't do any good. His name and number stared up at me in a tempting sort of way, but I had a feeling that Godric wouldn't even pick up. And why should I have to be the one to call him? He was the one who had gone MIA, he should be the one to pick up the phone and call me. Not the other way around.

So while I stubbornly waited for that to happen, I worked at the diner. I had been given the job on the spot, and I couldn't have been more thrilled. It at least gave me a chance to spend a good portion of my day not focusing on Godric and my vision. The owner was a sweet middle aged man that reminded me of my father, and the other two waitresses were kind and had welcomed me into their little family with open arms. I genuinely enjoyed working there, even if I did put in long hours and some of the customers could get a bit rude. But I was used to that from my previous waitressing job, and I had picked up the rhythm as if I had never stopped. I was thankful that I had a place to go to every day, people to see other than the ones that crossed on the street below my hotel window. I hadn't realized how lonely I had become until I started working here, being able to talk to new customers, and the regular loyal customers, every single day. I met new people, new people that I hoped would notice if I suddenly wasn't there one day. At least they would alert the police if I was missing, right? Maybe if the police got involved, Steve Newlin would be seen as the crazy fraud that he was.

Everything was going normal. Actually, everything was slightly better than normal minus Godric's disappearance. I tried not to let it bother me, trying to just concentrate on everything else. It worked for a little bit. Until I found myself craving some time with Godric. I could have just gone over to his house, but what would that have done? If he was busy, he wouldn't be able to see me anyways. I just had to sit around and wait.

And waiting was not exactly my strong suit.

* * *

"You smell like a human." Eric commented in disgust as he lounged in Godric's living room, his maker sitting across from him. "It's disgusting, Godric. What have you been doing that causes you to reek like a human?"

"Haven't we already had this discussion, Eric?" Godric sighed as he looked up from his paperwork. "I'm trying to help solve our problems and you're instead focusing on a situation that does not involve you."

"I'm just intrigued as to why my once ruthless maker is playing friends with some human girl." Eric sat up. "I'm not an idiot, Godric. Don't assume that I am. I hear you with Isabel. Who is this Taylor girl?"

"No one of your concern." Godric stood and collected his paperwork. "I'm going to continue this in my office."

"Come on now, Godric, I'm going to find out at some point." Eric stood in a flash, following his maker annoyingly through the halls of his home. "You might as well tell me."

"Why are you acting like an immature newborn, Eric?" Godric shook his head.

"You're hiding something from me. Or rather, someone."

"I'm hiding nothing from you. Because Taylor does not concern you at all." Godric snapped, turning to his child in frustration. "So please, Eric, stay out of my business. You're here because of the fellowship of the sun; can we please just focus on that?"

Eric raised an eyebrow but nodded, not wanting to anger his maker further. But that didn't cease his interest. Godric would speak with Isabel every single night, sometimes even twice. And every time, it was for the same reason. He would ask about the safety of that human girl. A human girl for Christ sake! Godric was not supposed to be some human loving vampire. That was not the vampire that had turned him a thousand years ago. That was not the vampire that had taught him all that he had known. What had happened to Godric while he had been away?


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen:**

"This can't be too hard." I mumbled to myself as I sat in the middle of my bed, trying to clear all of my thoughts.

A week had passed since Godric had gone MIA and I had become restless. Sure, I had gotten a job, and most of the days I was too busy at work to be able to think about that vision of mine and being kidnapped. But on days like these, when I was off work and had nothing else to keep me occupied, it was all I could think of. Every time I left my hotel room I was worried someone would suddenly just jump me. I was tired of looking over my shoulder all the time. I needed to be able to control my visions so I knew exactly when and how this whole kidnapping scheme was going to happen so I could be prepared. I just never expected it to be this hard. I read everything I could in the journal, learning what the other seers had done to achieve this. And I had done everything they had. I had concentrated, I had cleared my mind, I had focused on what I wanted to know. But nothing worked. If anything, I only became more stressed and tired out from it.

"I wish Godric was here." I sighed, cracking my eyes open as I stared back down at the journal before me on the bed as if it would just magically give me the answers I sought out. I never even had the chance to tell Godric very much about my vision. I never got to tell him that it was Steve Newlin and the fellowship of the sun that kidnapped me. He just ran off before we could even talk and he wouldn't answer his damn phone. And all I wanted was to talk to him, for him to tell me that everything was going to be alright. Because I was trying to be strong. I was trying to be the independent woman I wanted to be and figure this out on my own. But it was hard. It was excruciatingly hard. And I just wanted help.

"Damnit." I shoved the journal away and climbed off the bed.

I couldn't concentrate when all I could think about was Godric. Why wasn't he contacting me? Why had he just gone off and didn't explain a single thing to me? Something was wrong, something was going on and I knew I didn't exactly deserve to know everything in his life. But I did deserve some sort of explanation. Was he alright, was everyone else alright? Was this something I should be worried over? Or was he just tired of me already? Because I thought things were going really well up until that night. Everything had been perfect in fact.

"This is just perfect." I grumbled, glaring out the large hotel window, watching as the sun set.

I wasn't trying to be some clingy girlfriend. I mean, I wasn't even Godric's girlfriend. I'm not sure if Vampires had girlfriends. So what did that make Godric? Was he just the guy that I made out with? Was I just some silly little girl he found amusing? Was he humouring me with all of this? I didn't want to think the worse, but with the continuous avoidance, I could only think negatively. Why else would he completely ignore me so suddenly? Sure, he had business to attend to, but hasn't he felt my anger and frustration at all? He must know that this was driving me absolutely insane, not being able to talk to him, to see him. All I wanted was his advice, that was it. I wasn't asking him to sweep in and save the day. I wasn't asking him to teach me. I just wanted some advice as to what I should do.

That wasn't so much to ask, was it?

"This is why I never dated in high school." I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. "Boys are just...complicated. Kissing is complicated. The whole boy-girl thing is complicated. And now I'm standing here talking to myself!"

Maybe I just needed out of the hotel. I hardly spent more than a few hours a day in this room, and that was usually only to sleep. I didn't like being cooped up for this long. I needed something to do. Maybe I would drop by work, see if they needed any help. Or at least grab a bite to eat. With the tips I had collected in the first week of working alone, I was beginning to save up a good deal of money. And once I had enough, I would start paying Godric back for the hotel bills he was paying.

Or maybe I shouldn't.

I mean, after all, he was ignoring me.

"Stupid men."

* * *

"She's getting frustrated, Godric." Isabel shook her head as she sat down across from her sheriff in the living room of their nest. "She's waiting for you to call, for you to acknowledge that you're still alive."

"Taylor understands the demands that I have as a Sheriff." Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "She knew this before she even met me."

"I doubt even her abilities foresaw you avoiding her. And for what reason? Because of Eric? Do you suspect the two will dislike one another?" Isabel guessed.

"I already hate her." Eric waltzed into the room as he slipped on his leather jacket.

"Where are you going my child?" Godric looked up at his progeny in confusion. "We have a meeting with a representative from the AVL tonight."

"And I'll return in time." Eric shrugged. "I watch to catch the sights while I'm in town, Godric."

"Eric..."

"Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble." Eric rolled his eyes. "You know me, Godric."

"Yes I do know you, and that's what worries me." Godric shook his head. "Don't be gone long, Eric. And please, whatever you do, do not pick a fight with anyone from the fellowship of the sun. We're having enough difficulty with them already."

"Would I do something like that?" Eric smirked widely down at his maker.

Godric opened his mouth to warn Eric of the consequences but Eric had zipped off before he could even utter a word. Sighing, the two thousand year old vampire shook his head, hoping his child would behave himself. They were having enough trouble as it was, they didn't need to add anything else to their list. Godric had been hoping he and Eric would have figured out some sort of plan within a week, but it seemed to be taking much longer than that. Eric didn't seem like he even wanted to leave, and Godric assumed it was to keep him away from Taylor. He could sense Eric's dislike towards her, and he didn't hesitate to voice his opinion about the human he had found himself so entranced with. But he could also detect a hint of jealousy within his child, and Godric knew it was due to how close he and Taylor had become in just a short amount of time. He and Eric had been parted for many years, a strain being put on their close knit relationship of a thousand years. But Eric should have known that no one could ever replace him in Godric's life. He may care greatly for Taylor, but it was in a different way from how he felt towards Eric. Eric was his child, his progeny. He was a product of his blood, of his doing. He had given him a new life, taught him the ways of the vampires. Eric was his son, his brother, and even his father. Their bond would never cease to exist, not as long as they both should exist. Eric should know that, he shouldn't be jealous of the blood bond he shared with another.

"The demonstrations are growing, Godric." Isabel brought his attention to the newspaper she had set on the table.

A grim expression crossed Godric's face as he quickly skimmed over the front page, shaking his head in disappointment. The resentment between humans and vampires was growing far more rapidly than he could have predicted. After so many centuries roaming this earth, all Godric wished for was peace. He never even desired this job. But he knew it had been an important task to undertake if he were to receive that peace. He had fought hard to create the rules he had, for them to be practiced by his underlings. And most of them complied without complaint. But the uprising from the fellowship of the sun wasn't helping his cause in the least. It was only driving a wedge further between the two races and Godric wasn't sure what more he could do about it. There were deaths on both sides, deaths that weren't needed. Bloodshed was the last thing any of them needed, but it seemed that the only way this would ever come to an end was to create a war.

And that was the last thing Godric wished for.

* * *

"People are incredibly stupid." I rolled my eyes as I stopped to watch the demonstration occurring just outside of city hall. I was amazed that they were even doing this after the sun had set. But I guess these idiots weren't afraid of vampires coming and picking them off one by one. I honestly thought they should have been. Because I wasn't blind. I could spot the few vampires lurking on the outskirts of the demonstration, murderous looks on their faces. Not a single one stepped out of line however, all keeping their distance. I almost smiled at that, knowing that Godric's ruling was doing some good at least. I felt a sense of peace knowing that Godric really was doing some good, even if he didn't see that. Because if he hadn't been in power, I couldn't even imagine what could possibly be happening right now before my very eyes. It would be a blood bath, that was for sure.

"Have you cleansed your soul?" a sudden voice questioned in front of me.

I blinked, focusing on the form standing before me. He looked oddly familiar, like I had seen him before. He didn't look too much older than I was, maybe by only a few years. He was fairly tall and lanky, not much meat on his bones. I searched his face as he stood there, holding a pamphlet for me to take. He just looked so familiar. I couldn't place where I had seen him before though. Maybe he had come into the diner during one of my shifts, or perhaps I had just seen him while walking around the city. But no, I had definitely seen that face before. But where?

"Miss?"

"Oh uh..." I raised an eyebrow as I stared at the pamphlet, nearly losing my dinner as I saw the fellowship of the sun logo dead centre. This was the world playing a cruel joke on me, wasn't it? "My soul is just fine, thanks."

I turned, having a strange feeling like maybe I should just go back to the hotel. It was a feeling I couldn't exactly explain. It was just an intuition, like something bad was going to happen if I didn't. And I had every intention on marching right back to my hotel as quickly as I could, thankful that it was only a few blocks away. But before I could even take a step forward, the boy grabbed onto my arm and yanked me back around.

"God punishes fangbangers." He spat, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at me with such a cruel glare.

"Yeah, alright then." I tried to pull my arm out of his grasp. "Please just let me go."

"God punishes murderers." He hissed in my face, his hand tightening around my arm to the point that I heard a wince escape my lips.

My face paled considerably as I realized where I had seen him before. He wasn't just a customer at the diner, and he wasn't just someone I had passed on the street. No, he was the only survivor from the attack in the alley behind the coffee shop. He was the only one who had gotten away while his two buddies had been killed by Godric. He was the only one who didn't face some sort of justice for nearly raping and killing me.

I tried not to panic as realization hit me, as I realized who this boy was. I hadn't realized just how young he had been when I had been attacked. It had been dark and it wasn't exactly the first thought on my mind to examine the men. But he wasn't a man. He was a boy. He was around my age and he had almost committed such a horrible felony. And for what purpose? Because I associated with a vampire? Because I saved Godric from being the object of their cruel intentions?

"You and your little vampire friend will pray for mercy." His grip was so tight on my arm that I knew there would be bruises there in the morning.

If I even made it that long.

There was a look in his eyes, a look that told me that if I didn't find a way out of this situation quickly, then it would be my face on the news tomorrow morning. And that was the last thing I wanted. I tried as hard as I could to struggle as he attempted to drag me further away from the demonstration. I looked around for some sort of help, but everyone was so focused on the speaker that no one even noticed me. I thought I had gained the attention of one of the vampires, but they merely looked away. I guess as long as it didn't concern them, they didn't get involved.

"Please." I begged the man as I did everything I could, hitting his arm, kicking at his legs. But the boy only yanked me into the alleyway across the street, shoving me right up against a wall and pinning me there. "Please, you don't have to do this."

"That vampire killed my brother." He snapped, his hands grasping my shoulders tightly.

"Your brother wanted to rape and kill me." I tried to push at his chest, hoping desperately that Godric could feel my fear and would suddenly just appear out of thin out like he had every other time. "Godric was just trying to protect me."

"He's a murderer. And your nothing but some filthy fangbanging whore." He drew his hand back, and I closed my eyes as I braced myself for the contact I knew was coming.

But then nothing happened. The hands suddenly disappeared off of me, and there was never any impact. My eyes opened, and I was shocked to find the boy hanging in midair by a single large hand wrapped around his throat, his eyes bulging out of his skull. My eyes fell on the figure holding him and my heart nearly stopped. If there were such things as gods, then this man...or whatever he was, he certainly had to be one. He was unnaturally tall with blonde hair that fell to his shoulders. The lighting was dim in the alley, but I could still spot the shining blue eyes the man had, contrasting considerably with his pale skin. It was the protruding fangs however, that made me realize that this man wasn't a man at all. He was a vampire. A very tall, and I had to admit, gorgeous, vampire.

"Manhandling a woman, that's not very nice you know." The vampire's voice was silky smooth, almost captivating. It even sounded like he was amused by his findings, and that only caused further confusion. Who was this vampire, and where had he come from?

"Let me go you fanger!" the boy regained his senses, or really, I think he lost whatever senses he had left, and started to struggle.

I almost snickered at his futile attempts. The vampire seemed to think it was just as amusing as he snorted and squeezed the boy's throat so tightly, I thought his head was going to just pop off. But it didn't. It did however, caused him to become very still in fear, and after a moment, I could have sworn I smelt the distinct smell of...

"You give a whole new meaning to scared shitless." The vampire shook his head in disgust as he threw the boy like a ragdoll into the opposite wall.

I jumped as his body crashed into the wall with a thud before he just fell motionless to the ground. I was worried for a moment that he was dead, and almost wanted to go over and check on him. but then I remembered that he had nearly raped and killed me once, and I was sure he would have tried the latter once again tonight if it hadn't of been for this vampire.

"I-is he dead?" I asked softly, barely above a whisper.

"No. A shame though." The vampire turned towards me, his large leather jacket covered arms crossed over his chest, a large smirk on his gorgeously chiselled face. He was extremely good looking. In one of those Norse Gods sort of ways. I remember learning about mythological gods in one of the college electives I took, and he certainly resembled the description perfectly. "Now, why is it that you smell exactly of my maker?"

"Uh...er..." I was definitely confused now. "I'm sorry what?"

"You heard me." the smirk was wiped from his face, and before I knew it, I was pinned up against the wall for a second time tonight. He was much much taller than I was, and he had to bend down in order to meet my level. His fangs had extended even further and a surge of fear shot through me. This vampire had swept in and saved the day, but who was to say it wasn't just because he wanted a nice evening snack. I knew I smelt different than every other human in the world. And even without a single drop of blood spilt, vampires could smell just how different I was. Was that what this vampire sought out? Did he want my blood? "Why do you reek of my maker?"

"I-I don't know what you're..."

He grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me violently before shoving me back against the wall. I winced at the impact, the pain shooting up my spine.

"Please, I..."

"What is your name?" he demanded.

"I..."

"You have thirty seconds to inform me of your name or else I'm going to rip your throat out. You smell rather delicious, and I would much rather keep you alive than to waste all that blood at once. But I will do so if need be." He threatened, his blue orbs boring right into mine.

I knew right away what he was trying to do. I felt the same haze form in my head as I had with Godric. I was more aware this time, and before it had even gotten to the same point it had with Godric, I had been able to fight back. The fog had disappeared long before this vampire even spoke a single word in his attempt to glamour me, and I was proud at how much stronger mentally I had become. Sure, I hadn't been able to do a damn thing with my visions, but at least I knew how to ward off glamour attempts much better.

"What is your name?" his voice was lower as he spoke, and for a moment, I was even distracted by how mesmerizing his tone was.

But I quickly shook my head, not allowing myself to fall for his trick. "Your vampire mind trick won't work on me."

"What?" He snapped, his eyes narrowing. "You will tell me what I want to know."

"It's really not working." The look of confusion was almost amusing. That is, before the anger returned and his grip tightened. "Look, thank you for saving me, but please, I don't want any trouble."

"What the hell is wrong with you people." He hissed angrily. "What are you? What the hell are you and why do you smell like my maker?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. Please, just let me go." I tried to struggle, even though I had watched what had happened with the boy when he had done so. The vampire didn't throw me against the wall however, but he did grasp onto my hair and yanked my head to the side painfully.

"If you won't tell me, I'll just have to find out for myself."

"You will do no such thing." A voice suddenly growled from the shadows. "Retract your fangs, Eric."

"Godric?" the vampire's head snapped to the side, as did mine as I realized the voice had belonged to the man I had been desperately hoping would show up for the past week. Of course, I never expected our next meeting to be like this. Not again anyways.

"Retract. Your. Fangs." Godric suddenly appeared at my side, his fangs clicking out as he glared up at the vampire holding me to the wall. The blonde vampire was nearly twice his size, and looked like he could have snapped Godric like a twig. But from the look on his face, and the tone Godric had used, I knew right away that looks were deceiving. They always were with a vampire. Godric was the elder, or at least, he was the authority.

"Godric, I'm..." Eric stepped away from me, his hands falling to his side as his head bowed. His fangs retracted in an instant as Godric stepped between me and this other vampire.

"Do not apologize, Eric. Do not speak. I asked you not to get yourself in trouble. And what do you do? You go find _my_ human and nearly attack her!" Godric was nearly shaking as the anger bubbled inside of him. I wanted to reach out, to try and calm him, to assure him that besides a few bruises, I was perfectly alright, but part of me was afraid of what Godric would do if I even touched him. The only time I had seen him so angry had been when those men attacked me. And I had seen firsthand the carnage he could create when he was angry. This vampire, Eric as his name seemed to be, he must have known just what Godric was capable of, because his eyes widened as he took another step back.

"I...I was not aware that this was your human, master." Eric spoke softly, so softly that I had to strain to hear what he had said. Master? Why was Eric calling Godric master? Isabel and Stan didn't call Godric master, and they were his underlings. Who exactly was this vampire, and what was his connection to Godric?

"How could you not have known?" Godric reprimanded him.

"She...she smelt like you but I was, I was not sure."Eric looked away, his gaze sweeping over me for a brief moment.

"I'm disappointed in you. Even if she hadn't of been mine, what were you planning on doing? Frightening her until she told you what you wished to hear? This is why humans fear us, Eric. This is why there is a demonstration going on out there. They see us as monsters, and you're only proving their point." Godric sighed, shaking his head as he turned towards me. "Taylor?"

I looked up at Godric, my brown orbs meeting his. "Godric."

"Your hurt." His tone had softened considerably as he raised his hand up, his fingertips lightly dancing over my shoulders. I was wearing my coat, and the bruises weren't even visible. But I could feel that they were there, and in turn, Godric could as well. "I'm truly sorry, Taylor."

"It wasn't your fault, Godric." My heart ached as I saw the guilt seep into his eyes. He was always blaming himself for the situations I found myself, and I hated that. This hadn't been his fault at all.

"Godric, I..."

"Do not speak!" Godric snapped suddenly, his gaze hardening as he glared at Eric. "You've hurt her. You've hurt the one human that I care about."

"I..."

"You came here for my help and I'm giving you that. I'm taking time out of my day and aiding you, my child. And this is how you repay me? By attacking someone so dear to my heart?"

I almost felt a bit sorry for Eric as he bowed his head in shame. Though I wasn't entirely sure it was exactly shame he was feeling. It looked more like he was kicking himself for getting caught.

"I should command you back to your own area." Godric shook his head. "Don't you realize this is why the fellowship wants to rid us from this world? This is why they've attacked the vampires in your area. This is why they've risen in power so quickly. Attacking humans is never the answer, Eric."

"Yes, Godric." He mumbled.

"Especially attacking _my _human."

"I'm not your human. Not yet." I found myself mumbling, forgetting for a split second that both vampires could hear me perfectly. When I felt both pairs of eyes boring into me, I slapped my forehead with the palm of my hand. "Oops."

"Taylor, not now." Godric snapped at me, causing me to frown.

"Don't snap at me, Godric. You know, maybe if you had claimed me, this wouldn't have happened." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Taylor..."

"Don't, Godric." I snapped right back at him moodily. He couldn't just go missing for a week, and then randomly show up in an attempt to save my life, just to use that tone of voice with me. I wouldn't have it. "You don't get to talk to me like that. Not after the hell you put me through this past week. You can't just go MIA on someone!"

He looked baffled at what I meant, and I remembered I was talking to a two thousand year old vampire. I shook my head at how clueless he was and snuck a glance over at the other vampire. The blonde was smirking as he watched Godric and I interact, though I was able to spy a hint of confusion in his bright blue orbs before he quickly masked the emotion. I don't think he understood the bond Godric and I held just as I didn't understand who he was. Godric was certainly good at keeping the people in his life a secret. And I wasn't so sure I liked that.

"Perhaps I should just escort you to your hotel." Godric suggested after a moment. He glanced back over at Eric, and the smirk was wiped from his face. "Eric, return to my nest immediately. Do not go anywhere but to my nest, do I make myself clear?"

"Wait." I voiced before Eric could turn and zip away. "Wait just a minute.

"Taylor?" Godric turned completely towards me. "What is it?"

"Who is he?" I demanded to know. "And where the hell have you been?"

"I've been busy, Taylor." He smartly chose to ignore my first question.

"So busy that you seemed to ignore the fact that I was scared out of my mind while I was being attacked by him." I pointed at the motionless form still lying on the ground across from us all.

Godric whipped around so fast, I had to blink my eyes to focus on his new position. When his gaze fell on the boy, I immediately knew he recognized him. How could he not? That face had been etched into my memory for weeks now, and I knew it had to of been the same for Godric.

"He's the one that got away that night." I whispered softly. "He's the only survivor."

Godric took a step towards the still form, and I had to reach out to him to stop him before he could do exactly what I knew he wanted to do. He wanted to kill him. I didn't need to feel Godric's emotions to know of the anger that was vibrating through his body. I glanced over at Eric, and I saw the confusion and worry on his face before he flashed before Godric, as if acting like a shield for the human. I knew he wasn't protecting my attacker, but instead stopping Godric before he could do something he may regret. He had already killed two humans in my honour; he didn't need another dead body on his hands.

"Godric?" Eric questioned.

Godric was snapped out of his trace and looked up at the tall vampire before back at me. I slid my hand up and down him arm, as if trying to assure him that I was alright.

"What happened?" He looked between both Eric and I. "I need to know what happened right now."

"He approached me while I was watching the demonstration and when I realized who he was, I tried to leave but he dragged me in here." I explained, watching as the anger returned to Godric's face. "He might have given me a bruise or two, but that's it, Godric. Actually, he ended up saving my life." I nodded at the vampire behind Godric.

Eric's orbs shot to me for a moment before meeting Godric's gaze.

"Is this true, Eric?" Godric questioned, sounding as if he didn't even believe it.

"Yes. Your idiotic human should really learn to take care of herself a little bit better." Eric crossed his arms over his chest, looking smug that he had been the one to swoop in and save my life.

"You shouldn't have even been anywhere near here, Eric." Godric reminded him. "I asked you to behave tonight."

I snorted, and once again both pair of eyes were boring into me. Godric's was kind and warm however, while Eric was glaring a hole right through me.

"I want you both to stay." Godric gave us pointed looks as he fished his phone from his pocket. "Don't move a muscle, am I understood?"

"Yes, Godric." Eric nodded, never taking his eyes off of me.

"Taylor?"

"Uh huh." I rolled my eyes. "Whatever, Godric."

Godric kept his stare on me for a long moment before he sighed and walked to the opposite end of the alley, speaking hurriedly into his phone. I drowned out his voice and glanced back up at Eric, and was surprised when I found him drawing closer to me. I straightened, pressing my back up against the wall and trying to show this vampire that I wasn't afraid of him. Though, that was entirely true at all.

"You're such a teacup human." He mused, tilting his head to the side. "Not at all what I had expected."

"Who are you anyways?" My eyes narrowed. "Obviously you mean something to Godric, so who are you?"

"What, Godric didn't mention me to you?" he smirked widely down at me. "I guess who two aren't so close after all, huh teacup human?"

"Did you know about me?" I shot back with crossed arms. When he didn't reply, I knew that we both had been uninformed of the other. "Well it doesn't look like he tells you all that much either."

He looked like he wanted to snap and attack me again, but he regained his composure, keeping the smirk plastered across his lips.

"It was pretty idiotic of you to be hanging around an anti-vampire demonstration when you're a claimed human."

"It was pretty idiotic to attack the human that smelt like Godric, who obviously has some sort of authority over you." I had a feeling I wasn't going to like Eric one bit. And I also had a feeling that I unfortunately couldn't do anything to get rid of him anytime soon. He was important to Godric, or else the ancient vampire would have just snapped and attacked Eric for even looking at me the wrong way. But he had controlled himself, and that spoke wonders.

"I don't like you." His eyes narrowed.

"You don't have to like me." I shrugged.

"Who are you to him?" he demanded to know. "Do you just desire his blood? Is it the sex? What? What is it that fascinates him so much?"

I raised an eyebrow. Something about me rubbed him the wrong way, that was evident.

"I care about Godric, just as it appears that you do." I answered truthfully. "He means a lot to me, and I hope it's the same for him."

"He doesn't care for humans. He never has." He stepped forward. "Then again, you're not entirely human, are you? My glamour didn't work. That's only occurred with one other. What are you?"

"That is none of your business, Eric." Godric cut him off with a glare as he returned. "Return to my nest, I'll be there shortly."

"As you wish." Eric nodded at Godric, shooting me one last smirk before he was gone in a single blink of an eye.

I sighed once Godric and I were left alone. Or else, we were the only ones conscious anyways.

"You need to be more careful, Taylor." Godric sighed, shaking his head. "You could have been abducted tonight. Your vision could have come true."

"Maybe if you had been around instead of avoiding me." I planted my hands on my hips. "Where the hell have you been, Godric? I've been worried!"

"I've had other business to address." He answered cryptically.

"What business? And who the hell is Eric? I'm not an idiot; it's obvious that he means a lot to you. So who is he, huh?" I pressed, feeling my fear vanish and instead, my anger began to take over.

"Eric is...he means a great deal to me. When he isn't getting himself into more trouble." Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Who he is is not important however."

"Yes it is." My expression hardened. "Who is he?"

"Taylor..."

"I'm not your human, Godric. You never claimed me. You have no authority over me. You can't command me like you tried to do with Eric. And you can't glamour me either. So just tell me the truth, Godric. I think I deserve that from my...whatever it is that you are."

"Taylor, please..."

"You know what, fine Godric. Don't tell me. Don't tell me anything." I threw my hands up in the air out of frustration. "I have to get back to my hotel anyways. I work in the morning and I don't want to be grumpy because your being a mysterious ass."

"Work?" Godric frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I got a job while you've been off being all busy." I informed him.

"Why?" he questioned.

"Because I was bored. And I need money."

"I can pay for whatever it is you may require, Taylor."

"Don't give me that crap, Godric. You know I don't even like you paying for my hotel room." I shook my head before brushing passed him. "I'm tired, Godric. I've been attacked and had vampires annoy the hell out of me tonight. Yeah, that includes you. If you don't care about me, Godric, that's fine. At least have the decency to tell me that to my face instead of avoiding me."

I began walking towards the exit of the alley, but before I could reach the street, Godric was before me, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek.

"How could you possibly assume that I don't care, little one?" his voice was softer.

"You just disappeared, Godric. I know you have Sheriff business, but it's always only lasted a few days before. And then you get me a phone and tell me to wait. What am I supposed to think? It's been over a week!" I could feel the tears forming in my eyes, the emotions of the night finally starting to sink in. "I like you Godric, but if you don't like me then..."

I never got to finish before he grabbed onto my face and captured my lips with his own. I was taken back by his action, momentarily stunned before my hormones betrayed my frustration and I responded. My hands gripped onto his arms tightly as he walked me back up against the wall, his hands fall to my hips before exploring underneath my shirt. I felt the passion, the desire in his kisses, and a sense of relief flooded through me. I had been so worried that he hadn't cared, that all of this had just been some sort of experiment for him. But as his kisses continued, as his lips trailed across my jaw and to the curve of my neck, I just knew that this all meant something, that he cared just as much as I did.

"You are my human." Godric whispered huskily into my ear, lightly nipping at my earlobe and eliciting a moan from my lips. "And I will claim you, my little seer. I care more than you can possibly imagine. And I will regain your trust."

My eyes fluttered closed as his lips gently sucked on the skin of my neck, sending pleasurable sensations right through my body.

"There is so much that I wish to tell you of myself, but I find myself scared." He paused for a brief moment as I panted, my heart racing in my chest. "I don't want you to feel overwhelmed, for you to want to leave me. Because I cannot possibly allow you to leave."

"I'm not going anywhere, Godric." I ran a hand through his hair. "No matter what you may ever tell me, I'm not going anywhere."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Chapter Seventeen:**

"I don't think this is too much to ask, Godric." I sighed as I sat on the edge of my bed while Godric paced before me. "I just want to meet him."

"No." Godric shook his head.

"Well why not? We've already technically met." I pointed out. "I don't understand why you won't just tell me who this Eric guy is."

"It's not important."

"Yes it is, Godric!" I shook my head. "It is important because he's a part of your life. And if you want me to be a part of your life too, then you're going to have to tell me some things. Like who in the world Eric is!"

"Taylor, we should be focusing on..."

"No, don't do that. Don't treat me like a child, Godric." I stood up, crossing my arms over my chest as Godric paused to stare at me. "I'm not some little kid. I know my life is on the line, I was the one who had the vision remember? Don't talk to me like I'm some naive little..."

"That's exactly what you are!" Godric snapped. "You're acting like nothing more than a naive little child."

My mouth hung open in surprise. "Seriously, Godric?"

"I'm trying to keep you safe, Taylor. The only way I can do that is if you will just cooperate with me. And not go running around on your own."

"Here's a thought, maybe you shouldn't have disappeared for over a week!" I threw my arms up into the air. "I have to leave the hotel, Godric, or else I'm going to go insane!"

"Don't you realize how dangerous it is?"

"Of course I do! Hello, seer here! You don't even know who's going to kidnap me. Oh yeah, I do!"

"What?" he frowned. "You know who it is that will attempt to kidnap you."

"Not attempt, Godric, actually kidnap me. And yes. Maybe if you had stuck around for a little bit longer that night before rushing off, I could have told you." I grumbled angrily. I had been frustrated earlier tonight with Godric, but now I was just downright angry. We had been fighting a lot lately. The last couple of times we've been together, that's all we've done. First it was over him not claiming me, and then it was the situation in the restaurant, and now here we were, arguing again. I was tired of fighting. I wanted to get back to the kissing part.

"Who? Who is it?" he demanded to know, taking a step towards me.

"Tell me who Eric is and I'll tell you who kidnaps me."

"Taylor, this is not the time to be acting like a child. This is to do with your safety." Godric growled.

"Compromise, Godric. That's what we humans do. You tell me something, and I'll tell you something. Or else you can just leave." I shook my head, standing my ground.

"Taylor..."

"Don't Taylor me, Godric. Just tell me who the hell he is!"

I could see the anger flashing in his blue orbs, but I wasn't afraid of him. Even when his fangs popped out and he had to storm across the room to the window, I wasn't afraid of him. Because I knew he would never hurt me. Physically at least. He was hurting me emotionally. And it wasn't entirely because he just wouldn't tell me who Eric was. I just wanted to know him. I just wanted Godric to open up to me over something. Whatever it was that we were doing here, with one another, it meant something to me and I thought it meant something to Godric. But I can't be the only one here willing to try. He needed to give me something. Because I liked Godric a whole lot, and I really wanted this to work.

"I turned Eric a thousand years ago." He hissed quietly, not turning around to face me.

"Turned him?" I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I turned him into a vampire. He is my progeny, my child." He explained with a sigh. "He is my son. That's who Eric is to me. He is my family."

"Oh." Of all the possibilities running through my head, I certainly hadn't thought of that. I knew Godric had turned another vampire, he had told me that little tidbit of information once. But he never said his name, he never said very much about him at all. I understood he wanted to keep his life private, but wasn't this the one thing I should know about? Why had he kept both Eric and I a secret to one another? If I were meant so much to Godric as he claimed, then why keep us a secret?

"Tell me who kidnaps you, Taylor." Godric finally turned towards me. "I told you who Eric is; now tell me what I wish to know."

"Okay, okay." I sighed, sitting back down on the bed as I ran a hand through my hair. "Steve Newlin."

I snuck a glance over at Godric as I waited for his reaction, and I was surprised when he just stood there, looking gobsmacked. Had he even heard me? He was just standing there, not saying a word, a blank expression on his face. I was worried that he hadn't heard me at all. And then he disappeared. I tried to follow his path, but it was just not possible with the speed he was going at. My head whipped from side to side before I found myself dizzy and I just rested my gaze on my lap. I felt a gust of wind after a moment, and I looked up to find my bags sitting at Godric's feet as he stood before me. I frowned as I looked around, glancing at my once filled closet only to find it completely empty. I looked towards the nightstand, expecting my little odds and ends to be lying next to the journal, but that too was empty.

"Godric?" I looked up at the vampire slowly.

"I cannot let you stay here alone." Godric took me by the elbow and pulled me up to my feet. "You will stay with me in my home."

"Whoa whoa whoa, hold it." I held up my hands to stop him. "What are you going on about?"

"It's dangerous for you to be alone. So you will stay with me. I will protect you."

"So you want me to go stay in a house full of vampires?" I raised an eyebrow. "Because that makes a load of sense."

"Only Stan and Isabel reside there along with me. Eric will be leaving shortly. You will be perfectly safe. Much safer than you are here." Godric picked up my bags and guided me towards the door.

"Whoa, you just need to stop Godric." I shook my head, pulling the vampire to a stop. "You need to just stop, please."

"I am not leaving you here unprotected, Taylor." Godric sighed, setting down my bags as he cupped my cheek. "You mean too much to me. You'll be safer staying with me."

"You can't just strip me of my independence because Steve Newlin is behind my impending kidnapping, Godric."

"Do you not realize what you're up against, Taylor?" a grim expression crossed his face. "The fellowship detests vampires to the point that if they could, they would kill us all."

"But I'm just a human girl." I pointed out.

"Who associates with vampires, who has been seen with the vampire who killed the brother of one of their apparent members. They know who you are, Taylor, don't you see? If they seek to destroy us all, it will be by starting with you." Godric shook his head. "And I won't allow that to happen. I won't allow them to hurt you because you've associated yourself with me."

"But..."

"You were so certain that I don't care about you, Taylor. And yet here I am, trying to protect you so we can continue whatever it is that we're doing here. I cannot lose you, my little seer. I cannot let Steve Newlin take you away from me. If you want me to claim you, then fine, but I cannot do so if you're dead." He leaned closer, brushing his lips against my forehead. "Please Taylor, allow me to do this. Allow me to protect you. I know you don't wish to be stripped of your independence as you called it. But this is all that I can do for you now. I can protect you. I can help teach you what you need to know. You just need to let me."

"What about my job?"

"I've already told you that I can pay for whatever needs or wants you may ever have."

I rolled my eyes. He certainly was old fashioned. "We've gone over this time and time again, Godric."

"I cannot let you be unprotected during the daytime. I cannot protect you if you are wandering around the city alone." Godric sighed, cupping both of my cheeks. "Please just allow me this, Taylor. Allow me to protect you. I apologize profusely for not contacting you sooner. I regret keeping the secrets I have from you. And I do promise you that will change. But I need to know that your well being is taken care of."

"What am I supposed to do, Godric? Just sit around your house all day? I'll go stir crazy."

"We will find a compromise of some sort." He offered, using my own arguing technique against me. "If you will not work and put yourself in any harm's way, then I can allow you the time you might need outside of my home. However, you will have someone with you at all time. I have many trustworthy day men working for me."

"So essentially you want me to have a bodyguard." I raised an eyebrow. "Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes." He nodded, caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Is that acceptable?"

"That's still stripping away my independence." I pointed out.

"I'm trying to protect you." He countered, drawing himself closer, his lips ghosting over mine. "I do promise I will make it up to you. Your sacrifices will not go unnoticed."

I felt a jolt of electricity surge through my body as his lips pressed against mine. As if on cue, my body melded right into his, like our bodies had just been made for one another. I tried to fight back the moan that was rising, but it escaped my lips before I could succeed. Godric took that opportunity to lightly nip at my bottom lip in a teasing manner, his hands falling to grip my hips tightly. He drew his lips back away as I found myself pressing even closer to him. I pouted, staring at those lips longingly, wanting to feel them against every inch of my body. The heat was rising in my lower region from a simple kiss, and I knew that was his blood's doing.

"If I agree to this, and I'm not saying that I am..." I raised my gaze up to meet his.

There was a smirk on his face, as if he knew just the effect one mere kiss had on me. But then again, of course he knew that, he could feel every little emotion that I did. And I was strangely aroused for someone who was supposed to be mad. But how could I not be? This vampire was gorgeous. And he did just want to protect me, to keep me safe. Sure, he was going a little overboard, but honestly, was there seriously anything wrong with that? I've never had anyone take care of me like this before. Sure, I had always had a strong bond with my father, and he would always protect me because I was his little girl. But it was different with Godric. It wasn't out of some sort of obligation because we were family. He had taken some sort of fascination with me, and no matter how many times I tried to understand it, I just couldn't. Somehow we had bonded, even before his blood had ever cursed through my veins. And he frustrated me to no end at times, and some days I just wanted to rip my hair out, but he did care. He cared enough to move me into his home, to give me around the clock protection, all because he was worried about my safety. I couldn't exactly hate him for that.

"Yes?" He asked, the spark returning to his blue orbs.

"Would we be able to do more of that?" I had to look away the moment the words slipped from my lips. My cheeks were burning as he clasped a finger under my chin and forced me to look back into those gorgeous eyes.

Wasn't I supposed to be mad with him?

"We can do that however much you may wish." He granted, pecking me on the lips, though it had been so quick I wasn't even sure it had happened at all. "Now, will you come willingly, or will I have to throw you over my shoulder. I am not against doing so."

"Somehow I have a feeling that you would." I snickered as I brushed a hand through my hair. "I don't really have much of a choice here, do I?"

"No." Godric shook his head. "I'm only doing this for your safety. I know it seems as if I'm overreacting or being harsh, but I've dealt with the fellowship ever since the Great Revelation, and I truly do fear for your well being. Steve Newlin is not a man that we should underestimate."

I knew he was right. He knew Steve Newlin better than I did, and even I knew the supposed reverend, a man of god, wasn't right in the head. Because if he truly was a man of god, he would realize that if vampires were such monsters and a sin against the human race, then why would they be here in the first place? I wasn't much for evolution, or who created what. But I did like to believe that someone created each and every single living, or dead, species on this planet. I may not be a big god believer, but I was even less of a believer in the devil. There was a reason vampires had been created, why they lived among us. And I honestly doubt they're the worst things out there. I mean hell; I could see the damn future!

"Okay." I nodded with a sigh. "But..."

"I should have seen that coming." he crossed his arms over his chest. "What?"

"No more hiding things from me, alright?"

"Alright." He nodded. "No more secrets."

"Is that a promise?"

"Yes, that's a promise." Godric's smirk twisted into a smile as he leaned in and kissed me one last time on the lips before reaching down and grabbing my bags effortlessly. "Now, shall we?"

"Alright, let's go before I change my mind."

* * *

"Why have you brought that _thing _here, Godric?" Eric was leaning against the front door as Godric held open the passenger door of his car for me.

I sent the two thousand year old vampire a smile as I grasped onto his hand and climbed out of his car. I shot Eric a glare, but otherwise ignored him. I had a feeling that Eric and I wouldn't see eye to eye. And I could somewhat understand what his problem was. He and Godric obviously were very close. Godric had turned him into a vampire after all, he was his maker. They would forever share a bond that I would never comprehend. They've had a thousand years together, roaming this earth, learning all there was to know about one another. And now suddenly there was this new person thrust into Godric's life. He was jealous. He was envious that he was no longer the only important factor in his maker's life. Actually, when I thought about it, he was acting like a jealous toddler because his parents brought home a new baby. And I was that baby. I was someone knew, someone he didn't trust. From what I've learned since knowing Godric, vampires don't trust very easily. They're closed off and hard to read. But that had to have been for a reason. I mean, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands or millions of humans that just wanted vampires dead. Vampires couldn't trust many humans, not just right off the bat without knowing their true intentions. And while I would never have the intention of killing Godric or any other vampire for that matter, Eric still saw me as a threat.

And I guess in a way, I saw him as the very same thing.

I could admit, a part of me was jealous of Eric. He had centuries to spend with Godric. He had the opportunity to know Godric inside out. He could read him like a book; he knew everything there was to know about him. And here I was, wrestling to find out just the tiniest bit of information. It was hard and frustrating, and any other sane person would just walk away. But how could I possibly do that? Godric was perfect in every other way, and he had chosen me out of billions of women in the world. He had chosen me, and that meant a little something to me. So I would continue to find myself frustrated, and I would probably get grey hair sooner than I would have liked, but Godric was worth every minute of it.

"Eric." Godric sent Eric a look of warning. "Taylor will be my houseguest from this night forward. I would appreciate it if you would not insult her while I'm standing right here."

"Of course, Godric." Eric smirked, though his gaze was resting on me. "I wouldn't want to hurt the teacup human's feelings."

I rolled my eyes as Godric to lead me up the pathway and to the door. Eric bowed ever so slightly as Godric approached, stepping to the side to let him pass. He did step right back in front of me however, blocking my way into the house.

"Eric." Godric growled lowly. "What did I just say?"

"I just wanted to have a little chat with your human." Eric flashed Godric a look of innocence over his large shoulder.

"It's been a long night, Eric."

"It's fine, Godric." I crossed my arms over my chest. "I'll be just fine."

"If you so much as touch a hair on her head..." Godric threatened.

"Your human won't be harmed, Godric." Eric's smirk only widened, causing my eyes to narrow.

Godric looked between us for a moment, neither Eric nor I breaking our stares with one another. After a minute, Godric sighed and continued into the house, though I knew he hadn't gone far. Not that Eric would have done anything. He knew that for whatever reason, I meant a great deal to Godric. He wouldn't hurt me, not physically anyways. But if he wanted to exchange words, I would battle him head on. I may have been shy when I was younger, but that didn't mean I didn't have thick skin. It had been necessary. I knew what was being said of me in my small little town. I knew what people thought about me. Some days it became too much and I broke down, but there were too many days when I would walk pass all the whispers with my head held high, refusing to apologize for who I was. I was different, yes. I wasn't like everyone else. But Godric had made me realize that it was okay to be different.

"I know that Godric is your maker." I was the first one to speak. "Godric told me he turned you a thousand years ago."

"Did he now?" if at all possible, Eric's smirk grew as he took a step towards me, his large frame towering over me. I had never really noticed just how short I truly was before I met Eric. Godric wasn't too much taller than I was, but Eric, he was just unnaturally tall. "What else did he say?"

"Not much." I admitted with a frown. "But I'm guessing you don't know all that much about me."

"Godric lives a very...private life." his smirk faltered slightly before he shook his head slightly. "But that's not the reason I wish to speak with you."

"And what reason would that be then?" I raised an eyebrow. "Did you want to threaten me? Try and run me out of his life, because that won't work. I'm not afraid of you and I'm not going anywhere."

"As unfortunate as that is, I already know that." He shrugged boredly.

"So then why are we standing out in the freezing cold weather then? Just for shits and giggles?" I rolled my eyes.

"I haven't felt the cold in a thousand years." There was a hint of amusement in his eyes. It only lasted a moment however, before his smirk vanished, a look of seriousness seeping into his startling blue orbs. "What are you?"

"Excuse me?"

"What. Are. You." He drew even closer, causing me to crane my neck up for our gazes to continue to meet. "You're not human. Not completely. I could smell you coming a mile away. What are you?"

"I'm just a silly little human." I shrugged, lying through my teeth. But I wasn't about to tell Eric that. I wasn't sure what Godric had told him about me, but it was obvious he hadn't shared my ability. And I was glad about that. Because I wasn't so sure Eric was someone I desperately wanted to know that I could see the future. He seemed like the type to try and benefit from other people's gifts and abilities, using whoever he wished to gain power.

"See, you may be able to fool everyone else with those doe eyed looks and that pathetic human stench of yours, but I know differently." He tilted his head to the side, his eyes closing as he bent down until we were practically at eye level, and took a sniff of air. "Ah yes, I know exactly who you smell like."

"What are you talking about?" I wrapped my arms around myself tighter, confused at what he was going on about.

"Of course, I haven't smelt her in over a hundred years, but I'm almost positive that...yes, oh you most certainly smell like her, little _seer_."

I gasped in surprise, taking a stumbling step backwards as my eyes grew wide.

"I don't need to be a telepath to know exactly what you're thinking." The smirk returned to his perfectly chiselled face as he straightened to his full height. "You are most definitely a seer. It's written all over your face."

"H-how did you...how the hell did you know?" my heart was pounding in my chest. Had Godric told him? I didn't think he would just let my secret slip out. He knew how self conscious I was about it. But Eric was his progeny, so maybe he hadn't thought it would be such a big deal? But that still didn't sound like Godric. So if Eric hadn't been told by his maker, then how the hell did he know what I was? I had been careful not to let anything slip tonight, to not rouse suspicion. Had I blurted something out that I shouldn't have?

"I've been around for a long time, tiny little seer." He raised a hand up, flicking the hair off of my shoulder. I shuddered as his fingers grazed over my bruised shoulder, lingering for a moment before dropping his hand back down to his side. "I know all there is to know."

"But...how did you...it's impossible. How did you know?" I demanded from him, pushing my hair back over my shoulder, covering the flesh of my neck he had exposed. His striking blue orbs flickered to my neck for a quick moment before meeting my gaze.

"How can I possibly forget that smell? It doesn't surprise me Godric found himself another. He always did like the weak, the underdog." He snickered.

"What are you talking about?"

"Hasn't he told you?" he leaned forward, dipping his head down until his unnecessary breaths fell on my ear. "You're not the first seer he's...fallen for."

"What?" another gasp emitted from my lips, though for some reason this revelation seemed even more shocking than Eric somehow knowing what I was.

"He has a weak spot for pretty little girls who don't even understand the power they possess." I froze as I heard the distinctive click of his fangs extending. "I can't say I disagree with his choices, with his claims. You are all just so...delicious smelling."

"Godric...Godric is just inside." I reminded him, my eyes closing as I fought to remain perfectly still.

"Then again, he hasn't claimed you yet, has he? What a surprise. He didn't waste a moment claiming Serena."

"W-who?" I questioned, my voice wavering.

"Serena. The other Seer he claimed. His other human."


	19. Chapter Eighteen

**Chapter Eighteen:**

Eric was smugly following me into the house as I turned corner after corner searching for Godric. He would offer sarcastic comments if I happened to take the wrong turn, but I just took it in stride as I searched for the vampire I was furious with. I couldn't believe he had lied to me. I couldn't believe he had looked me in the eye and had told me there had no one else. He told me that I had been the only one he had ever shared blood with, the only human he had ever wished to claim. He had just lied to my face. There had been another, and that human, was the same young seer he spoke about in his journal, the one who sounded so much like myself. I just couldn't believe it. He had never spoken her name in the journal, never went into detail of their relationship. I had just assumed they had been friends. But apparently I had been wrong, I had been very very wrong.

"Where the hell is he?" I grumbled to myself, my anger rising with every passing minute.

"Taylor?" Godric stepped out of a door suddenly, a frown on his face. He sent Eric a dark look, as if he was the cause of the anger that was swirling inside of me. He must have felt just how furious it was, and he automatically just assumed that Eric had said something to me. And he had. But I was actually thankful that he did. Or else I would have found myself living with a vampire who had been lying to me all along.

"Who is Serena?" I stopped before him, my hands clenched at my sides. I've never felt this angry before in my life. But then again, I've never had anyone close to me betray my trust. How could he just lie like that? Did I mean nothing to him? Or had he found himself so fascinated by me because I reminded him of this other girl?

"What?" if he hadn't already been deathly pale, he certainly would have been now. His eyes grew wide at the mention of a name I'm sure he hadn't heard in years. There was a hint of pain in his orbs, but I just didn't care. Because I was feeling just as hurt as he was, if not more.

"Who is she, Godric? And don't lie to me. You promised me no more secrets." I demanded.

"What did you say?" Godric ignored my question and glared at the vampire behind me. "What did you say to her, Eric?"

"Nothing." I spied Eric out the corner of my eye, his hands rising in defence. "I said absolutely nothing."

"Somehow I doubt that." Godric narrowed his eyes. "How could she possibly know about Serena?"

"Maybe she has other talents." Eric shrugged.

"Um, hello." I waved my hand in Godric's face out of frustration. "Trying to talk here!"

"Taylor, I..."

"Don't." I shook my head. "You lied to me Godric. You said there had been no one else. I get that you've been with other women, and I'm fine with that. You're a guy after all and I doubt you could go two thousand years without having those kinds of relations. But you told me to my face that you've never been bonded with anyone besides Eric and I. You told me that you've never claimed a human. So please, tell me exactly why you decided to lie to me."

"Taylor..." Godric sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Serena, she is...I have not thought about her in many years."

"What am I to you, Godric? Am I just some flashback to the past? Do you think you can relive the good old days because I'm a seer just like she was? What exactly is this?" I pointed between us, my eyes flashing in anger.

"I care a great deal about you." He stepped forward, trying to raise his hand to cup my cheek.

I slapped his hand away though, and from the intake of breath behind me, I could tell Eric was surprised at my actions.

"Don't, Godric. Don't try and make this all better. Who is she? Did you love her? Why did you lie to me? Why did you say that you've never claimed anyone else before? Is that why you won't claim me now? Is that it? Am I just wasting my time right now? Because I know you're a vampire and you live an immortal life, but I'm just human, Godric, I don't have all the time in the world."

He fell silent and that just proved the many theories crossing my mind. Maybe I was just some game to him. Maybe he thought he could relive his past with Serena through me. But I couldn't do that. I couldn't be some other girl for him. I couldn't be someone that I wasn't. I barely knew who I was as it is, I couldn't just play dress up and let Godric live some fantasy. I was mortal, and I had psychotic reverends kidnapping me in the near future, I didn't want to spend the short time I had with Godric pretending to be someone else. I cared about Godric so much, and I knew I was falling in love with him, it was incredibly hard not to. But this, this I just couldn't do.

"We should speak alone." Godric suggested.

"Oh please, don't let me interfere."

I shot the smirking blonde vampire behind me a glare before nodding at Godric. He waved me into the room he had slipped out of, declaring that it would be my room while I was staying here.

"Godric?" I walked passed him to the door, my hand lying on the handle.

"I'll be there in a moment." Godric locked eyes with Eric.

I nodded and slipped into the room, wondering if I would even need to stay here after all.

* * *

"What are your motives, Eric?" Godric stepped closer to his progeny, the frustrating flaring. "Do you not wish me to be happy?"

"I have no desire to make you unhappy, Godric." Eric slipped his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Then why is it that she knows of Serena?" he demanded, hurt displaying in his blue orbs. "Why did you tell her such lies?"

"They weren't exactly lies." Eric pointed out with a shrug. "I just thought she should know that she's not the only seer in your life."

"She died, Eric. She died many decades ago." The expression on Godric's face hardened as he tried to mask the pain he felt deep within his still heart. "I learned to forget her many years ago, and until tonight, I had been able to do so. Why did you bring her up? And like this? You barely knew her."

"I'm surprised you haven't claimed her yet." Eric's gaze wandered to the closed door Godric's new human had slipped into. "With what she is, I would have assumed you would have snatched her up long before now."

"She's a human, she's not some plaything."

"Humans are exactly that." Eric rolled his eyes. "They hardly serve any purposes at all except to amuse us, Godric. You used to believe that once."

"We have not been with one another for many years, my son; we do not view the world in the same way."

"She changed that, didn't she?" Eric snorted. "What is it with these seers, Godric?"

"You have your own human interest, do you not?" Godric countered. "You reeked of one when you first came here. Who is it that has caught your fascination, my child?"

"No one. I do not associate myself with humans unless when necessary." Eric clenched his teeth together, refusing to bring up the blonde telepath that had been crossing his thoughts more than any other human had in the past. And he despised himself for it. He merely wanted her gifts, her abilities. He could use them for his own personal gain, that was all.

Godric shook his head. "I know when you're lying, Eric. I know when you're hiding things from me. I will not push, because you are entitled to privacy, as am I. You crossed the line tonight. You had no right bringing Serena's name up like you did. You did not know the situation. You hardly knew who she was. You were creating your own progeny at that time. So do not assume you know what occurred between her and I."

"Of course, Godric." Eric nodded, though he held his reservations that nothing had occurred between his maker and the seer of his past. "Whatever you say, master."

"I do not appreciate the attitude, Eric."

"I apologize." He bowed his head, though the smirk worked its way back across his lips. "You shouldn't leave you human waiting long. She's getting restless."

"It's nearly dawn, Eric, go to ground for the day." Godric ordered, turning around and slipping into the room his seer had entered only moments ago.

Eric's smirk widened as he stared at the closed door for a moment before taking his leave, though he kept his heightened hearing strained on the conversation behind closed doors the entire time.

* * *

"Serena died many years ago." Godric spoke the moment the door had closed behind him.

I looked up from where I was settled on the end of the large Queen sized bed. I opened my mouth to say something, but he held a hand up to me, stopping me before I could say a word.

"Please just allow me to say this." His gaze wouldn't meet mine.

"Okay." I replied softly, wrapping my arms around myself as I waited for him to continue his story.

"I did not love her as you assumed, as Eric told you that I may have." Godric sighed heavily, and from the sound of his voice, I could tell that it was paining him to say this. "I cared greatly for her, but I did not love her. I didn't care for her in the way that I care about you."

My heart fluttered at that proclamation, but I reminded myself that Godric had still lied, and that didn't sit well with me at all.

"When I had met her, I was a very angry vampire. I had been for many centuries." He took a seat in the lone chair in the room across from the bed. He leaned forward, setting his arms on his knees as he gazed down to the ground. "When I met Serena, it had been my intent to kill her."

"Why didn't you?" I found myself asking before mentally hitting myself for speaking. "Sorry."

"I nearly had. I had her pinned to a tree, ready to strike, when she told me of a vision she had, of a friendship that we would share." There was a haunting look in his eyes as he gazed up at me. "She had startled me that night, much like you had startled me the first night we truly spoke. I had never met a seer before her, though I had heard the stories. I knew it was possible. I knew that she wasn't lying. So I didn't kill her that night. It was nearly dawn, and she offered me a place to stay, somewhere safe."

There was a faraway look on his face, as if he was reliving the past right this very minute.

"I spent many months with her and her mentor. They trusted me like no one ever had. They had seen things, known that I was to enter their lives. Serena...she saw me in a way much like you see me. She never thought of me as a monster. Even when I had slipped and had killed humans, she would only comfort me, she never shied away. She was a good friend."

"You didn't love her?"

"No, no she was merely a friend. A good friend who taught me there was much more to life than killing. She gave me hope; she gave me a chance to redeem myself." Godric sighed. "She helped me become a better person, and I aided her when I could. She would grow so sick after she practiced with her visions. She had nearly died one night, and to ensure that she didn't, I gave her my blood."

"But you claimed her. You claimed her, Godric, and you told me that you've never claimed anyone before." I reminded him.

"There were others that found out about her gift. She was stronger than her mentor; she was able to see things that no one else could. As her ability grew, her safety became a risk. In order to protect her from the vampires that sought her out, I claimed her. But I never loved her, Taylor. You must know that. I claimed her because I had to, because she needed it. I did not claim her because I found myself falling for her."

He slowly lifted from the chair and crossed the room before sitting beside me. He slipped his hand over my clasped hands in my lap and a sigh escaped my lips as my hands parted, allowing for his fingers to intertwine with mine.

"Why didn't you tell me about her then?" I questioned, still confused as to why he had lied. "Why didn't you just tell me the truth?"

"It is painful to remember the past at times, my little seer." His gaze met mine, and my heart nearly broke at the look in his eyes. "Serena died only a few years after I had met her."

"How?" I asked softly.

"Her visions."

"Her...her visions?" My eyes grew wide.

"You must understand that your gift, it's a very powerful tool. Should you use too much of that power, it will strain you. Serena, she was ambitious. She wanted to learn more. She wanted to do more than she could possibly handle. She died one night, while I had been off feeding. I...I was never able to forgive myself for not being there, for not stopping her sooner. She was so innocent. She just wanted to push her own limits, to gain further access into herself. And in the end, it killed her."

My mouth was hanging open in shock. I had never thought that my powers, the gift I had thought to be a curse for so long, could possibly kill me. I hadn't gotten nearly out of hand as Serena may have. I hadn't been able to control my visions at all. But I did want to. I wanted to know all that I could do. And that was just what she had desired. And she ended up dying because of that. I would be lying if I said that didn't scare me. Who would have thought that being able to see the future could be so dangerous?

"I tried to forget about her. It was after her death that I rejoined Eric, that we travelled for a few years before parting once again. Since then, I found myself without meaning. Serena, she had given me hope, she had given me a reason to live. After her death, I was destroyed. Even as I became Sheriff, everything seemed so..."

"Useless." I offered, taking note of his red rimmed eyes. "Nothing seemed to matter anymore."

"Yes." Godric nodded. "And then I met you and I..."

"Was it just because I remind you of her?"

"At first, yes." He admitted sadly. "I was not expecting to ever come across another seer. I did not think I could take remembering her spirit. It was one of the reasons I fought to keep my distance from you. I couldn't allow myself to become close to another, in fear that I could lose someone else so important to me. You may be a seer, but you're only a mere mortal. You can all die so easily."

"So then why did you keep coming back? Why did you always pop up? Why didn't you just stay away?" I wondered, my heart beginning to race in my chest.

His gaze fell to my racing heart, and I was surprised when he broke contact with my hand, raising it to rest over my beating heart. My face flushed as he just held his hand there, his gaze never leaving mine the entire time.

"You are like her in so many ways, and yet, so different at the same time." His lips curved upwards. "I could not stay away. I would think of you when I shouldn't have been. I watched you when you weren't aware I was even there. You were haunting me, as if Serena's spirit was here herself. I had to know you. I had to know if this was just some trick by the gods."

"And?"

"You are absolutely fascinating." He raised his other hand, brushing the hair out of my face. "And beautiful."

"Why am I different? Why didn't you love her, but you...but we're..." I trailed off, my cheeks growing a deeper shade of red.

"There is no explanation that I can possibly offer you. But I can tell you that when I am near you, I feel more alive than I ever have in my life, possibly even more so than those few years I spent with Serena. You may be similar, but you are entirely different, Taylor. That is the reason I'm struggling with claiming you. Because you aren't just another human. Claiming you would not be out of protecting you. It would be making you mine in every possible way and I...I find myself at the mercy of my own emotions." He held my gaze, his soul opening up to me for the first time.

It felt like a weight was just lifted off my shoulders. I had been so worried that I hadn't meant anything to him, that I was just reliving some memory for him. But that hadn't been it at all. It may have been why he had been intrigued at first, but as time wore on, he had stuck around because of me, not because of some girl from his past. He shouldn't have lied, and I was still annoyed with the fact that he had disappeared for over a week without much more than a voice message. But I could understand Godric's pain. I could understand the battle he had within himself over this. And I couldn't completely fault him. I've never lost anyone close to me. I never had to experience that lost and pain. But I knew it must have been awful to lose someone that meant that much to him. He had tried for so long to move forward, and then I had come along, and had all of that progress had melted away. I didn't exactly blame him for lying, for doing whatever he could to keep his past behind him.

"Okay." I offered him a small smile.

"Okay?" He frowned in confusion. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Okay." My smile grew. "You told me about her, which I can see was painful, and I appreciate that you did. You shouldn't have lied, it was wrong, but I understand."

"You were angry." He pointed out.

"Yes, and now I'm not." I laughed lightly. "I wanted an explanation Godric; I wanted to know that this wasn't just some game to you. And you told me more than you needed to. And I thank you for that, I honestly do. I was afraid, I had my insecurities, and I was allowed to. I'm only human after all. But I understand now, I get it. And I'm sorry you had to put yourself through that pain to tell me, but I'm glad I know. Because we promised no more secrets. And I get that your past isn't an easy one, but I care about you Godric. I've already told you that I'm falling head over heels for you. So I don't care about your past. I just...I don't want you to lie to me."

"I will try to never do so again." he assured, caressing my cheek. "I do apologize for how you had to find out about her. Eric..."

"Eric is an asshole." I rolled my eyes. "He doesn't scare me, Godric. And he's not going to run me off, so don't worry. The only one who can do that is you, so stop pushing me away Godric."

A small smile crossed his lips as he drew closer, his lips brushing against mine. Before I could deepen the sweet passionate kiss however, he pulled away, tucking the hair behind my ears before standing.

"Dawn is approaching. It's been a long night, you should rest." He nodded to the bed. "There's a bathroom through those doors. Feel free to roam the house. I've asked Isabel to inform one of our day ladies to stock up the kitchen. My room is only next door should you ever need anything."

"Okay." I grabbed onto his hand, squeezing it gently. "And thank you Godric. I know I'm a bit all over the place, but I appreciate how much you care about me. I've never done this before, you know."

"Neither have I." He dipped down, stealing one last sweet kiss before straightening. "Perhaps we can help one another."

"Sounds like a deal." I grinned up at him. "I'll see you soon?"

"The moment the sun sets, my sweet one." He raised my hand up, kissing my palm, before unclasping our hands. "Sleep well, my one and only."

Godric was gone seconds later, and I fell back on the bed, a sigh of content leaving my lips. Tonight had been a rollercoaster of emotions. I could have been kidnapped, I met Godric's progeny, I had been mad at Godric, only to forgive him, only to become more furious with the vampire. And now, well now I felt like I really did love him. He lied to me yes, but he also told me what I wanted to know, and I knew that couldn't have been easy. Half of the blame lied in Eric, who I knew had just been trying to stir up trouble.

"Oh how sweet." Eric's sarcastic tone came from the open doorway.

I groaned as I pushed myself back up into a sitting position, glaring at the vampire leaning against the doorway. "It won't work, Eric."

"What?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You trying to run me off. I know that's why you told me about her. You wanted to stir the pot, start some crap, and see if I would run away. Well it's not working." I left the bed, planting my hands firmly on my hips. "I'm not going anywhere. So you can try and do whatever you want to, but don't expect me to leave anytime soon. I care about Godric, and no matter what you may throw at me, I'm staying right here. So bring it on."

Eric stared at me for a moment, not saying a word, his smirk only grew. He pushed himself off of the doorway after a moment, flicking the imaginary lint from his leather jacket.

"Good." Was all he said as he turned away and strolled down the hallway.

"Good? What the hell does that mean?" I called after him, only to receive a snicker from the vampire.

I stuck my head out of the room, watching as he paused at the end of the hallway to glance over his shoulder at me.

"You'll just have to find out." He winked before disappearing.

I shook my head as I stuck my head back into the bedroom and closed the door behind me. I leaned against it for a moment, sighing heavily. I had a feeling Eric wasn't going to be leaving as soon as Godric thought he would be.


	20. Chapter Nineteen

**Chapter Nineteen:**

"You should decorate your room." I mused as I sat cross legged on Godric's bed while he was in the bathroom. I wasn't sure what exactly he was doing in there besides having a shower, considering he was a vampire and all, but I patiently waited, taking the time to get a better look at the room that I had only seen for a short period of time after I had been attacked. I shuddered at the memory, not wanting to remember such a horrible time here when I would now be living just down the hall from where that had taken place.

"What's wrong with my room?" Godric left the bathroom, running a hand through his damp hair.

My eyes nearly bugged out of my head when I realized Godric was shirtless. I had never seen him less than absolutely perfect. But here he was, dressed in only his usual linen pants and nothing else. I had felt the chest I was staring straight at, and I had imagined what he would look like without a shirt on, but I never imagined just how perfectly sculpted he would be. And the tattoos, they were like art to me, absolutely beautiful.

Godric must have realized the effect he was having on me because before I knew it, my back was flat on the bed, Godric hovering over me with his fangs extended. There was a spark in his eyes that I hadn't seen since I had moved in a few days ago. But I couldn't exactly blame him, when he wasn't worried about me, he was playing interference between Eric and I. That damn blonde vampire just wouldn't leave me alone. He would make little comments here and there and I was beginning to lose my cool. I tried to ignore him, like Godric pleaded me to do, but it was becoming too difficult. Eric and I just would never see eye to eye, not when he was acting like a five year old brat. I knew he was jealous that there was another person sharing Godric's time, and he wasn't used to that. He wasn't used to not being Godric's main focus. He had come here for whatever reason from his home in Louisiana, and for over a week Godric had given him his full attention. And now here I was, my life on the line, and Godric was now showering me with the attention Eric sought for. He really was acting like a spoiled toddler seeking the attention of a parent while they paid attention to their new baby. And in some way, I did understand it. I mean, wasn't I a little bit jealous that Godric had been spending all of his time with Eric, and had nearly forgotten all about me? I had been bitter, I just didn't have Eric around to butt heads with. But let's face it, the guy was over a thousand years old and I was sonly eighteen. I was allowed to act a bit childish once in awhile.

"Do you like what you see?" he tilted his head to the side, his accent clear as he spoke.

"Where are you from?" I asked curiously. I hadn't really thought about his accent before. It just sounded so natural and I had gotten used to it over the time we've known one another. But Godric was slowly beginning to open up his past to me, and I found myself curious as to where his accent had come from.

Godric raised an eyebrow as he propped himself up over me, his hands on either side of my shoulders. He lowered himself down, closer and closer until his lips were brushing against mine. My heart was racing rapidly, and my curiosity was completely forgotten. How could I possibly care about anything else when I had the most gorgeous man in the world on top of me?

"Your too curious for your own good." He mused, my eyes fluttering closed as his lips trailed across my jaw and to my neck. A small moan escaped my lips, the heat rising throughout my entire body as he began kissing my sensitive spot just below my ear. He knew exactly what to do to elicit a response from me, from my body, and soon I found the heat growing between my legs. I turned my head to the side, giving Godric better access to my neck. I could feel his fangs gliding across the soft skin before halting right over my pulsing vein. I was surprised when he didn't immediately pull away, not like he usually did when he was pulled in by my pumping blood. This time, however, his lips remained in that one spot, gently sucking on the skin without the use of his fangs. I would feel the sharp incisors every so often, nearly piercing right through my neck, but he was gentle with me, not bringing me an ounce of pain. He was growing self control when it came to me, when it came to my blood, and I found myself proud of the vampire. He had pulled himself away, pushed me so far away that at one point I hadn't been sure this relationship would happen at all. But it seemed that we were growing closer, both mentally and physically.

And I wasn't so sure how much longer I could hold out on him.

It wasn't exactly easy to stop myself every time I felt those urges, the desires I had never felt before with anyone besides Godric. I was an eighteen year old girl, I was supposed to want sex, I was supposed to be having fun and living life. I suppose I really was naïve when it came to this physical relationship, but Godric was breaking down those innocent walls, and soon, I knew I would be ready to take the next step.

Because god, who wouldn't want to have sex with this magnificent creature?

"Godric…" I moaned out as his lips began trailing over my collar bone and shoulder before treating the opposite side to the exact same treatment.

"I want you." He murmured into my neck. "You have no idea how greatly I desire you."

"Oh I…I think I do." I moaned in response, my hands moving from the bed and to his bare chest. "But if you…oh god…if you don't stop soon I…I won't be able to stop you."

He chuckled as the attack on my neck ceased. He rose up just enough for his lips to brush against mine one last time. My eyes reopened, our gazes meeting. I had a feeling the look in my eyes weren't too far off from the look of lust and hunger in his orbs.

"So, where are you from?" I repeated my question from earlier, trying to subdue the urges I was having to just forget all logic and rip Godric's pants off.

Godric must have known what I was thinking, as he smirked down at me before rolling off the bed. I sighed in content as I pushed myself up onto my elbows and watched as he strolled across the room to his closet. I raised an eyebrow in surprise at how large his walk-in was. I mean, he was a guy after all, and from what I've seen, Godric didn't exactly have a very large wardrobe selection. And yet, that closet looks nearly bigger than my bedroom back in Ohio. Oh what wealthy vampires can have!

"I'm not sure exactly what the lands would be called now." Godric voiced as he slipped on a loose t-shirt before joining me back on the bed in a flash.

I raised an eyebrow as I sat up and tried to fix my hair. Godric chuckled at my attempt and ran his own hand through the messy tangle before brushing the hair off of my shoulders.

"I never realized you had so many tattoos." I commented, peeking at the tattoo that led up his spine

"Yes, the act is much less…violent with modern advances." Godric nodded.

"I almost got a tattoo once." I settled back down before him, tracing an invisible design on his knee.

"Is that so?" he raised an eyebrow, a smile crossing his lips.

"Mhmm. My mom tried to get me to do this horrible Midwest Beauty contest." I snorted with an eye roll. "I threatened that I would get a tattoo if she made me do it. Let's just say she never bothered to ask me again."

"You would have won." He caressed my cheek. "You are the most beautiful human I've ever come across."

I blushed at his words. "You spoil me with compliments, you know. I'm going to get a big head."

"And you will still be the most beautiful girl in the world."

I grinned as I cupped his cheek and gave him a sweet kiss. It lasted longer than it should have, and as a result, I found myself flat on my back again on the bed, Godric hovering over me.

"You continue to tease me." He nipped at my ear. "How can I control myself around you?"

"You just have your mind in the gutter." I laughed, swatting at his chest.

"Can you blame me?" he lightly tickled my sides. "You are irresistible."

"Well I would agree with that…"

He drew his lips back up to mine, capturing them in a passionate kiss. I moaned almost immediately at the sudden pressure he was applying, and Godric took advantage, slipping his tongue between my lips to meet mine. As our tongues battled one another for control, I ran my hands up his arms and down his now covered chest, my nails raking against his shirt covered flesh. He growled lowly, grabbing onto my wrists and pinning them to the bed as he lifted his lips off mine just long enough for me to gasp for air before continuing the act.

This was certainly a plus to living with your vampire boyfriend…or whatever he was.

My back began arching as Godric moved to pin both of my wrists above my head with only one hand as he dipped his other down to my waist, teasing the bare skin just above the top of my jeans.

"I want all of you." He growled hungrily, the lust in his gaze as he ended the most passionate kiss I've ever experienced. It felt like fireworks had been going off, like my entire body was on fire. As his fingers danced across my skin, I didn't feel the coolness I usually did. And instead, I felt the most comforting warmth. Until he moved entirely down my body, his lips brushing across the bare skin he was creating as he pushed my shirt up inch by inch. I moaned loudly as the pleasurable sensations shot right through me.

"Godric…" I breathed out, my eyes falling closed as Godric's hand loosened on my wrists, trailing its way down to the bottom of my shirt.

He teased the skin there before pushing the shirt the rest of the way up, his fingers lightly brushing across my breasts. A sound I've never heard before escaped my lips as soon the bra was ripped right down the center, my breasts bursting free. Godric was the first man to ever touch me in such a way, and I wonder why I had waited at all when his cold digits gently glided across my nipples, tweaking them ever so slightly. His lips continued downward while his one hand played with my nipples, the other beginning to tug my jeans over my hips for better access to my hot core. I was panting as his fingers took control of my nipples, touching them in a way I never thought to be possible. I never thought anything could ever feel this good. The pleasure was almost too much as the jeans passed my knees and were tossed to the floor, leaving me nearly naked beneath him.

"You are mine." Godric hissed, his lips dropping to my thigh, parting my legs as his fangs retracted to their full length. "Only mine."

I felt his fangs graze across my inner thigh before suddenly they pierced right through the skin, a gasp emitting from my lips…

"Well isn't this awkward?"

My eyes suddenly flew open, my arms moving wildly to cover myself up. But I only managed to lose balance and fall to the living room floor. Because I wasn't in Godric's room and the vampire in question wasn't even the one leaning over me with the widest smirk on his face. Oh no, I was in the living room, once lying on the couch I must have fallen asleep on while watching TV to keep me occupied during the long hours of the day. And there Eric Northman was, staring down at me smugly, a knowing look in his eyes as if he knew exactly what I had been dream of. And as I could feel the heat and dampness between my legs, I knew he very well did know the content of my dreams, any vampire could.

"Have a nice…dream, teacup?" Eric snickered.

"Go the hell away, Eric." I grumbled as I pushed myself up onto my feet and glared at the blonde vampire.

"You seemed to have been enjoying yourself." His smirk was only growing wider by the second.

"Fuck off."

"Was it Godric who was fucking you?" he appeared behind me as I tried to walk away from him.

My face was flushing with embarrassment but I refused to give Eric the satisfaction. I just waltzed right out of the living room, the vampire on my heels of course, and travelled my way through the many hallways to where I remembered Godric's room to be. I couldn't believe I found myself having one of those dreams in Godric's own house. I hadn't had one for a good week or so, and I thought that maybe enough of his blood had left my system so I wouldn't continue to have such…vivid dreams. But as it turned out, I had been wrong. I had been oh so wrong.

Not that I was exactly complaining.

I just would have rather if Eric hadn't of been the vampire to find me while I was in the middle of one of those very vivid dreams.

"Is that why you've stuck around, for the sex?" Eric questioned from behind me as I turned another corner.

"Obviously not." I muttered more to myself than in answer to his question.

"Are you telling me," Eric flashed before me suddenly, blocking my path. I sighed and crossed my arms, glaring darkly up at the vampire who I really wouldn't mind being staked right now. "That you haven't slept with my maker?"

"That's really none of your business." I snapped at him, trying to brush passed him.

He only slid into my path, however, his smirk growing. "Well this is an interesting new development."

"Oh yes, because the fact that I'm a virgin is oh so interesting." I rolled my eyes. "What are you, sixteen?"

"No, but you are." He leaned down, his gaze leveled with mine. "Isn't that right, teacup?"

"I'm almost nineteen, thank you very much." I grumbled. "And stop calling me that."

"Is it annoying you?" he tilted his head to the side.

"Yes."

If at all possible, his smirk grew twice as wide as he straightened, and I had a feeling he wasn't going to stop calling me that ridiculous nickname anytime soon.

"You are the most annoying man I've ever met."

"I'm not a man." His fangs suddenly extended with a click. "I'm not a man at all."

"You're right, with that hair, you look like a woman." I couldn't help but smirk as I high fived myself for the look of agitation I caused to cross the face of the annoying vampire before me. I took that opportunity to brush past him, knocking into his rock hard arm as I did so. I silently cursed myself for it as I lightly rubbed my arm as I continued down the hallway, growing closer to Godric's bedroom. But Eric just couldn't leave me alone. He honestly did act like a toddler, having to have the last word, needing all the attention to be on him. It was ridiculous and I was tired of dealing with it.

"Will you just stop!" I exclaimed, not able to control myself anymore as I turned on the vampire who continued to follow closely behind. "Just leave me alone for five minutes, please!"

"Now where would the fun in that be?" he leaned against the wall, his large arms crossing over his dark grey t-shirt.

"If you think this is going to run me off, then you're mistaken. I'm more likely to stake you than leave." I threatened, not caring at all that this was Godric's progeny, that this was his only family. At the moment, I just didn't care about anything. I could only take so much of Eric's crap. He was supposed to be gone by now. He was supposed to be back in whatever shit hole town he was from and not causing Godric or I anymore trouble.

"Is that a threat?" he smirked down at me, his fangs making the look to be far more intimidating. "Are you threatening me, teacup? I don't think you should be threatening someone who could rip you apart faster than you could even blink."

"Oh just try it, I'd love to see how Godric would react to that."

"He is _my_ maker, you little brat." Eric hissed, his eyes narrowing as the smirk was wiped from his face.

"You're the one acting like a brat."

"Will you two just stop it?" a voice suddenly interrupted our bickering.

Eric and I both slowly turned to the door we had stopped in front of, Godric now standing in the open doorway with a less than pleased look on his face. I bowed my head in shame, hating myself for lowering myself down to Eric's level, for letting him get to me. I had just reached my breaking point and I hadn't been able to stop myself. It was childish, and obviously didn't make Godric very happy at all.

"I'm tired of this." Godric shook his head in disappointment. "All I've been listening to the last few days is your arguing and I cannot take it any longer."

"Godric, I'm…"

"She's the one who…"

"Stop." Godric held his hand up to stop us in mid sentence. "Just stop. It should be impossible for a vampire to have a headache, and yet you two have managed to cause me to have one."

"If she only…"

"Don't." Godric glared up at his progeny. "Your over a thousand years old, Eric, and yet you act like nothing more than a newborn. And you," he turned his gaze on me, and my cheeks burned in embarrassment. I could see Eric's growing smirk and I wanted to dig myself one large hole and hide away in it. "This is why I wished to keep the two of you a secret, so I wouldn't have to deal with this childish behavior. You both need to grow up. I cannot do this for much longer."

I opened my mouth to apologize, but he only shook his head and walked passed us both. I followed him with my eyes, watching as he turned the corner before I sighed and shook my head. I was disappointed in myself for how I was acting. Just because I was a teenager, it didn't mean I had to act childishly, even if Eric was egging me on. I was with a two thousand year old vampire, I couldn't act like some immature girl, what would that possibly do to his image.

"Well look what you've done." Eric shook his head in accusation.

"Excuse me?" My mouth dropped open. "You're the one who started this."

"He's _my_ maker. You shouldn't even be here."

"But I am here, Eric. And I'm not leaving. So you better get used to the idea of me. Because I'm here. I'm here for the long haul. I'm not just some fangbanger. I'm not some V addict. And I don't want a single cent of his. So whatever reason you have to hate me, you might as well just forget it. Because I love him. I honestly love Godric and no matter what you say or do, I'm not going to leave. Not unless he wants me to. So stop acting like a god damn five year old Eric." I snapped at him harshly before twisting around and storming down the hallway in the same direction Godric had wandered off to.

The moment I turned the corner and looked over my shoulder, I was happy to find that Eric was no longer following me. I sighed in relief as I ran a hand through my hair, trying to calm myself down. Eric was just so infuriating. I didn't understand why he hated me so much. I had never given him a reason to dislike me, for him to think that I had impure intentions with Godric. Ever since we had met a few nights ago, he had immediately hated me, and I honestly wished he didn't. Because Eric was the one important force in Godric's life that would never change. He could have a dozen different underlings, he could live anywhere in the world, and hell, he could have hundreds of women after me. But Eric would always remain there at his side. So I did want to get along with him, I did want us to be on the same page. Because despite our differences, we did have one thing in common, and that was Godric.

"Stupid Viking." I mumbled under my breath as I stopped just outside of Godric's office. The door was slightly ajar, and as I peeked in, I could see Godric hunched over his desk, furiously writing. I chewed on my bottom lip nervously as I lingered by the door, not sure whether I should interrupt him or not.

"Don't linger, Taylor." Godric didn't even look up from his work as he waved me into the room.

I nodded and slid into the room, closing the door behind me. I stayed there by the door however, not wanting to bother Godric with the apologizes I was sure he didn't even want to hear.

"You can say whatever is on your mind, Taylor." Godric sighed as he looked up from his work, his eyebrows furrowed.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out as I took a step towards his desk. "I know I shouldn't have gone off on Eric like that. I tried so hard to ignore him; I just reached my breaking point. I know it was wrong, and I'm sorry."

I bowed my head as I stood in front of his desk, feeling like a scolded teenager in the principal's office. I peeked up at Godric, trying to gage his reaction, and I was surprised to find that he was no longer sitting behind the desk. I frowned as I went to turn around in search of him, but two hands planted firmly down on my shoulders, keeping me turned towards the desk.

"Godric?" I questioned as I felt his body press up against mine. My cheeks flamed as I remembered the very vivid dream I had woken up from not too long ago. I tried to shake away the images of Godric touching me in that way, but just imagining it caused me to shudder in excitement.

"You dreamed of me." He mused, brushing the hair off of one shoulder before his lips pressed against the curve of my neck.

My eyes closed as I leaned back against him as he gently began to suck at the sensitive skin.

"I…" I couldn't find the words to speak, but that was mostly due to the face that his hands had slid around my waist, slowly pushing underneath my shirt and drawing upwards. Goose bumps rose on my arms at his cool touch that left tingles all over my bare stomach. I wondered for a moment, if this was still part of the dream, and I even thought about pinching myself. But somehow I knew that this was in fact, not a dream, and instead, completely reality.

"I've never found myself desiring another human like I have you." He whispered huskily in my ear, his tongue flicking out and causing pleasurable sensations to run right through my body.

"Y-you're not angry with me?" I could barely even get my vocal chords to work.

"Your anger turns me on, my sweet one." And he honestly wasn't lying, the bulge growing in his pants as it was pressed against me from behind.

"I…uh…er…" my heart was pounding so hard, I was so certain it was just going to burst right out of my chest. "I…I wanted to…er…I had something to…"

"What is it, my little seer?" his fingers danced over my ribs, causing me to shudder with desire.

I inhaled sharply, trying to calm down my raging urges and desires. "I wanted to...ask you something."

"And what would that be?" he nipped my earlobe gently.

"I was hoping you would…well I was just wondering if you could…"

"Tell me." His hands rested back on my hips as he pressed into me harder. I was feeling light headed but I tried to remind myself why I had sought Godric out in the first place. It had been on my mind ever since I had moved in with Godric. He had promised to help me, and it was obvious that in my failed attempts, that I hadn't been able to control my visions at all. But he had done this before, he had helped Serena through this, and the only way it seemed to ensure that I wasn't kidnapped, was to control these visions before it could happen, before Steve Newlin got his hands on me.

"I was hoping you would help me."

"Help you with what?"

"With my visions." I let spew out, not sure how Godric would react. He had lost one close friend to these visions. I had a feeling he would be cautious to help me find the same power that had killed Serena. But he had promised he would help me, and this would save my life in the end. I knew Godric would be hesitant, but I wasn't expecting his answer at all.

"No." Godric's voice sounded strained as he suddenly took a step away from me, his hands dropping from my waist, his body no longer pressing against mine. "Absolutely not."

"But Godric." I turned around to face him. "I know Serena died from using too much of her powers, but that won't happen with me."

"How can you know that?" He shook his head, refusing to even talk about this. "I will not lose you too, Taylor. I cannot lose you from these visions. I can't do this again."

"You promised, Godric." I reminded him. "You said you would help me."

"I cannot, I'm sorry." He walked passed me and to the other side of his desk.

"But…"

"I can't, Taylor. I just can't." he looked me dead in the eye. "I'm sorry, I am. I know what I promised you, but I cannot help you do this. I can give you as many journals as you may need to read, but I can't help you kill yourself."

"Godric…"

"I have work to do, Taylor."

"But I…"

"I'm the Sheriff, Taylor; I have important matters to attend to." He snapped.

My shoulders slumped forward in defeat as I sighed and nodded. I left the room quickly, not wanting to anger Godric anymore than I already had tonight. I couldn't help but feel disappointed however. All I had been wanting my entire life was to know what I was, what I could do. And now I knew; now I finally had that chance to control the visions. I was so close, and yet, I felt so far away from achieving my goal, and it frustrated me to no end. Godric had been perfectly alright with helping me until that damn blonde vampire brought up Godric's past. And now Godric wouldn't even think about helping me.

Now I really wanted to stake Eric.


	21. Chapter Twenty

**Chapter Twenty:**

I sat in the middle of the living room, the coffee table moved off to the side. Godric was somewhere inside the house, and Eric was god even knows where. I had avoided Godric since our argument over my powers, neither of us speaking to one another in over twenty four hours. It felt torturous, but I just didn't think it was right that Godric had brought me here against my will, promising not only protection, but that he would finally help me control these visions. And now, that promise was broken, and I couldn't help but feel furious with him. He knew how important this was to me. He knew this meant everything, that this had been a trial for me my entire life. How could he protect me if we didn't even know when or how I was supposed to be kidnapped? Was he just going to keep me locked up day and night? Because I wasn't exactly okay with that.

"Stupid Godric." I muttered, failing miserably in my attempt to clear my thoughts.

I wasn't even sure exactly what I was supposed to do. I tried to read Godric's journal over and over again to understand how Serena had done this, but Godric had never gone into any grand detail. So I was left with figuring this out myself, and it was incredibly harder than I originally thought it was going to be. But I couldn't just give up. This wasn't just for shits and giggles; this was to save my life. Because I sure as hell didn't want to be kidnapped by Steve Newlin of all people. He was a bit too psychotic for my liking.

"Oh this is useless." I grumbled, shoving Godric's journal halfway across the floor in frustration.

I sighed in defeat as I glanced longingly at the clock, only to find that I had been sitting there in that spot for nearly an hour and still had found no results except agitation. I knew it would take a lot of work, and I knew I wouldn't be able to get this right away. But I had been hoping there would be some sort of sign that I was doing this right. Or I don't know, maybe a vampire by the name of Godric to aid me.

"Stupid men." I shook my head, pulling my hair up into a messy ponytail before crossing my legs and trying again.

I cleared my head as best as I could, which I found to be easier said than done. I never realized just how many thoughts ran through my head at one time until I had to try and erase them all. If it wasn't Godric on my mind, then it was that vision, and sadly, even Eric took up a lot of my thoughts. That stupid, idiotic, annoying vampire. Even in my head he was driving me insane.

"Just concentrate." I whispered to myself, rolling my shoulders to release the tension.

I set the palm of my hands on my knees as I inhaled deeply. I held it for a few moments before exhaling and repeating the process. I let my eyes close in an attempt to relax myself. There was just too much tension in my body. I just needed to relax, to let all of my problems and worry go for a few minutes. And it worked after a moment, a very long impatient moment, but eventually I could feel my muscles relaxing, my mind slowing down. I continued to breathe deeply, attacking the thoughts before they could multiple. I could feel myself tiring after a moment however, and before long, I was letting out a long heavy sigh and reopening my eyes.

"Well I'm getting somewhere at least." I muttered, reaching for my glass of orange juice before repositioning myself to try again.

I went through the same steps as before, breathing deeply and getting myself to relax. It happened quicker this time, and I was able to allow myself to reach the next step in controlling these visions. In every entry Godric had written about Serena's progress, he mentioned that she had been focusing on a certain event, on a certain person or thing she was hoping to have a vision of. It was a long shot, but maybe if I was able to concentrate on Steve Newlin, on my impending kidnapping, then maybe I would be able to have another vision to help me. So that's exactly what I did. I let my mind wander to that psychotic reverend, even allowing that annoyingly white grin to flash before me, his equally annoying preaching filling my ears. I focused on my kidnapping, on every little detail of that vision. I tried to remember everything, from how I felt, to where I had been, to the large scary man who had grabbed me. Anything that could help me, I concentrated on.

Nothing happened at first. I was just sitting there, breathing in and out, my arms starting to lose their relaxed state as my frustration rose. I was close to giving up, to grabbing my glass and throwing it across the room. But I stopped myself from doing so. I just held my concentration, not breaking my focus and fought to keep my relaxation. It must have paid off, because after a few painfully long moments, I could have sworn I heard voices that didn't belong to anyone I knew. I was alone in the living room. It had been close to the sun setting when I had last checked the time, but I couldn't feel any other presences around me and the voices didn't sound like they were coming from somewhere else in the house. They sounded far away, and I couldn't understand a thing of what they were saying, but I knew that they were there, that I wasn't just imagining things.

I focused harder, my teeth clenching as my hands curled into fist, trying to push even further. I could feel my arms shaking, my head beginning to pound from the excessive power and strength I was using. But I just couldn't stop. I was so close. I was moments away from pushing past this barrier, to gain access into the powers that had haunted me for so long. Just a little longer, I just needed…

"Taylor?"

I tried my best to ignore Godric's voice as I concentrated on the other voices, the ones that were starting to become clearer. And then there was a cry of pain. It was faint, but I could tell that it was a man's. Someone was in pain. But who? Who was it? Who was in so much pain that they couldn't help but cry out?

"Taylor, stop this." I felt hands on my shoulders, attempting to shake me out of whatever vision I was slowly being drawn into.

This had never happened before. I was wide awake, and yet here this vision was. It was a slow progression; the cries growing softer from the interruption. But I was able to do it. I was able to use the gift I had been born with in a way that I never expected I could. And still, I could hear the voices I could…I could smell burning?

"Stop this, right now." I heard the distinctive click of fangs extending, Godric's voice forceful as suddenly I felt a painful squeeze on my arm.

I yelped in pain as my eyes flew open. A gasp emitted from my lips at the sudden wave of exhaustion that set over me, my body unable to hold itself up anymore and I went crashing to the side. Godric caught me with ease however, a sigh emitting from his lips as he lifted me up into his arms only to set me down on the comfortable couch.

"I knew this would happen." He brushed the hair out of my eyes as I fought to keep myself conscious. "This is why I didn't want to help you, Taylor."

"But I…" I managed out, the cries of pain, the smell of something burning still meeting my ears and nose. I hadn't lost complete connection to the vision. I couldn't see a single thing of it, there were no images flashing before my eyes, but the cries were slowly beginning to get louder until whoever it was that had been in pain spoke. Their voice was soft, and I had to squeeze my eyes back shut to recognize it. But once I realized who was speaking, another gasp emitted from my lips.

"_I offer myself in exchange for Godric's freedom…and the girls."_

"Taylor? Can you hear me?" Godric shook my form, trying to pull me back to the present.

He did this time, the voices suddenly ceasing. The smell of what I could only describe as burning flesh followed shortly after until I was only left with myself and Godric in the living room, his worried voice filling my ears.

"What have you done, Taylor?" he sighed, caressing my cheek with his cool fingers. "You never should have done this on your own. You weren't ready for this."

"I…I needed to." I whispered out, my eyes slowly opening to gaze into his concerned orbs. "I did it, Godric."

"What?" he frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together.

"I did it." I tried to push myself up into a sitting position but Godric only pushed me back down.

"Just rest, Taylor, you look as pale as a vampire." He reached for my glass and placed it to my lips. "Drink this."

I sighed but nodded as I drank the rest of the orange juice. I did feel wiped of energy, the exhaustion settling in. my head was pounding harder than it ever had in my life, and my hands shook so much that Godric had to hold the glass. But none of that changed the fact that I had done it. I hadn't had a complete vision; I hadn't seen a single thing. But I had heard and smelt all that I needed to. It gave me hope that if I continued down this path, if I practiced, then maybe I would be able to have a full vision, one that could help me.

"Oh, is something wrong with the teacup seer?" Eric's voice was unwelcomed to my ears.

But it wasn't because of his annoyance, though that was a large part of it. But instead, it was because of what I knew, of what I had _heard_.

"Godric." I gasped out, my eyes growing wide.

"What is it?" Godric questioned in worry. "Taylor?"

"I…I heard voices." I began to explain. "I didn't really see anything but I…I heard it all."

"You heard a vision?" Godric's eyes widened in surprise. "It had taken months of practicing for Serena to only get a flicker of a vision."

"I know what I heard, and I know it had to of been a vision." I nodded, though I groaned as the room began spinning. Godric sighed as he softly began rubbing my temples in a comforting manner.

"What did you hear?" Godric asked curiously.

"I couldn't understand what the voices were saying but I…I heard someone crying out in pain." I bit down on my bottom lip as I gazed up into Godric's blue orbs. "I smelt something burning, and I think it was flesh."

"Well that's awfully helpful." Eric snorted.

"Eric!" Godric snapped, sending him a glare.

"I heard something else." I pulled Godric's attention back down to me.

"What?"

"It was…It was from the same person who was in pain, which sounded horrible, just so you know."

"Obviously." Eric shook his head with an eye roll.

"Not now, Eric." Godric looked like he was having just about enough of Eric's comments.

"They spoke, they said something about offering their lives in exchange for…" when I realized what the voice had said, what the man, no, vampire, had spoken, fear shot right through my body.

"What is it?" Godric frowned in concern. "You're scared."

"Oh god." I whispered, tears forming in my eyes.

"Taylor? Tell me what's wrong." He slipped his hand into mine. "Talk to me, my sweet one."

"They were sacrificing themselves for…for you." I forced out, a single tear slipping down my cheek.

Godric was shocked, it was written all over his face. Godric wasn't the only one shocked however. I spied Eric over Godric's shoulder, and I saw a mixture of surprise and fear of his own on his face. And I didn't blame him one bit. Because I was just as fearful. Why was someone willing to sacrifice themselves for Godric? But that wasn't the worst of it. Because that person who was sacrificing themselves, well it wasn't just anyone.

"Who?" Eric demanded to know. "Who is it?"

My rate of breathing matched my racing heart beat and I was unable to speak. Godric must have known a panic attack was beginning to rise in my chest, and he did everything he could to calm me down. He brushed his cool lips over my forehead, his hand squeezing mine in an attempt to comfort me.

"It's okay, my love, it's okay." He cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing away the tears as they fell. "It's not important."

"Like hell it isn't." Eric clenched his hands at his sides. "I want to know and I want to know now."

"Eric, it's not important." Godric shook his head. "She's been through enough today. It's taken a toll on her. Let's just let her rest."

"It is important, Godric. Your life is in danger and this person…whoever it is, is sacrificing themselves for you. It is important." Eric argued.

Godric sighed and stared to shake his head, but I stopped him. Eric was right. They did need to know. They both needed to know what was set for the future.

"It was…" I inhaled sharply as my gaze met Eric's. "It was you."

The silence in the room was deafening. The tension had risen, and it was almost painful to remain in the room. But I couldn't exactly go anywhere, not when I was in this state. I couldn't even hold myself up, let alone walk out of the room. All I wanted was to curl up and fall asleep, but there were bigger problems at hand right now.

"Are you certain, Taylor?" Godric was looking between Eric and me, neither of us breaking eye contact.

"I wouldn't say anything if I wasn't." I nodded. "It was Eric."

"What else?" Eric's voice sounded strained, so unlike the arrogant vampire I had known for the past few days.

"Eric…" Godric tried to stop him.

"What. Else." He growled lowly.

"There was nothing else." I shook my head. "That was it."

"There had to be more." He insisted. "What else."

"She doesn't know anything else, Eric. Leave her be." Godric stood between Eric and I. "Do not hound her, Eric, it won't help anything."

"She knows more."

"She doesn't. She barely was even to connect with that vision." Godric shook his head.

"She did it once, she can do it again." Eric's eyes narrowed. "She has to know more."

"Look at her Eric; does she look like someone who can possibly do what she has for a second time today?" Godric motioned to my weakened form.

"I don't care, Godric. At some point in time, I'm going to be somewhere in pain and sacrificing myself for you." Eric glared down at his maker. "I deserve to know why. I would give my life for you every single day, master, but I need to know why. I need to know when."

"I think it has something to do with my kidnapping." I piped up, surprised by how sorry I felt for Eric. Just because I didn't like him, just because we butted heads every single time we were in the same room together, it didn't mean I actually wished harm on him. I didn't want to see, or hear him, in pain. And I certainly didn't want to see him sacrificing himself for Godric. Because if that was the case, what state was Godric in?

"How do you know?" Godric returned to my side, kneeling down beside me.

"I was focusing on it. I don't know for sure, but it would make sense, at least somewhat." I began chewing on my bottom lip.

"What do you mean?"

"I never told you this but…In my vision, when I'm kidnapped…" I found that I couldn't look Godric in the eye as I told him this. "Steve Newlin, he said that a vampire had come to negotiate for my life. And I just assumed that it was…"

"That is was me." Godric nodded slowly, the surprise evident in his orbs. He didn't say anything else however, he just brushed away my tears silently.

Eric was seething behind Godric however. But I didn't think it was because of me or Godric. I think he was just angry at the situation. In the future, in what I supposed to be the near future, I was going to be kidnapped, Godric was going to negotiate for my life, and Eric was going to willingly sacrifice himself for his maker. It was a lot for everyone to take in for one day. Especially when you threw in the fact that the culprit in all of this was Steve friggin Newlin. I was just as angry as Eric was.

"No." Eric growled. "No, this will not happen."

I was surprised when he stormed from the room before the front door suddenly slammed shut. Godric sighed as his eyes closed and he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"I'm sorry for doing this." I spoke softly, Godric reopening his eyes to gaze down at me. "I know it was dangerous but…I need to do this, Godric. I can't just sit around and wait. I can't just not know. I know this vision wasn't perfect, but we found out so much tonight. Imagine if I worked at this. Maybe I could…"

"You cannot do this again, Taylor." Godric shook his head. "It was too dangerous. Look at yourself. You're weak; you're shaking from head to toe. This is exactly why I told you I wouldn't help you. You should have listened to me; you shouldn't have done this by yourself."

"But…"

"No, Taylor. You can't do this again. Please, just do this for me." He grabbed onto my hands, squeezing them with worry. "Please, my love."

I sighed, unable to disagree with him when he was looking at me with that look in his round orbs. "Okay. I won't do this again."

But I was lying through my teeth. Because I knew I would do this again, I just needed to wait for the right moment to do it, when Godric wouldn't be around to witness it.

* * *

"What are you doing?"

"Shit." I jumped a foot into the air, cursing myself for not locking my bedroom door. Not that I think there was a lock on the door, but a smarter person would have made sure something was blocking the door to make sure no one could enter. Because now I had one hell of a tall vampire standing in my doorway as I sat on the floor at the end of my bed, sweat dripping down my forehead in an attempt to have another vision.

"Well isn't this exciting, are you doing something behind my maker's back?" Eric smirked widely as he leaned against the doorway, his arms crossing over his chest. "I'm impressed."

"Oh just get out, Eric." I pushed myself up to my feet, though I found myself stumbling backwards. I was thankful my bed was there to catch me, though I officially just embarrassed myself in front of Eric.

"You're trying to have another vision." He tilted his head to the side. "Isn't that right, teacup?"

"Just get out." I ordered.

"Having any luck?" he mocked me.

"Go away." I crossed my arms over my chest bitterly. "Just leave me alone."

"As you wish, I'm sure Godric would love to know what his precious human is doing while he's out of the house." He shrugged, his smirk still plastered across his face as he turned and went to leave the room.

"Oh I hate myself." I grumbled before jumping to my feet. "Wait!"

Eric slowly glanced over his shoulder at me, an eyebrow raised. "Yes?"

"You can't tell him." I sighed.

"I should. He is my maker after all. And maybe he'll finally have enough of you and send you away." He winked at me before taking a step out of the room.

"Please, Eric." I really hated myself now. Begging Eric not to tell Godric wasn't exactly something I had been planning on doing. But I had been stupid enough not to be more careful and he ended up finding out. I couldn't let Godric know of what I was doing, because I really did fear that Eric was right, that Godric would just end things because he would be too afraid to lose me in the same manner he had lost Serena. And I couldn't lose Godric, not right now at least. So I would have to swallow my pride and do whatever it took to persuade Eric not to tell Godric.

"What's in it for me?" He turned around painfully slow, and I was certain that smirk was permanently attached to his lips.

"Excuse me?" I raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"If I agree not to tell Godric, what will you do for me?"

"Nothing." I rolled my eyes.

"Well then, I suppose I'll just have to tell him." He was almost back out of the room when I begrudgingly stopped him. "Well, teacup?"

"You want to know just as much as I do what's going to happen." I pointed out. "I want to know how I'm kidnapped and when, and you want to know why your suddenly sacrificing yourself for Godric."

Eric narrowed his eyes, and I knew he knew I was right. It was beneficial for all of us if we knew when and how this would all happen. And the only way for us to know would be for me to get a vision, or two, or a dozen. And unfortunately, that could only happen if I continued to practice, to force the visions. It exhausted me, and even at all my failed attempts in the week since the last time I had attempted it, I felt weaker. But I wasn't about to give up, and I could only hope it was enough for Eric to agree to not tell Godric.

"Fine."

"Fine?" My eyes grew wide in surprise. I wasn't actually expecting Eric to agree that quickly. "Okay then."

"But…" He paused for a moment in contemplation before a wicked look crossed his face. "I'm not just going to keep your little secret."

"What do you mean?" I chewed on my bottom lip nervously.

"I'm going to be doing much more than just keeping my mouth shut." He waltzed into the room until he was towering over me.

"Again, what do you mean?" I questioned.

"Why, I'm going to help you."

"Help me? How are you possibly going to help me?" I raised an eyebrow, not following him at all.

"You can't do this on your own. You're not nearly powerful enough. You need help. I can provide that for you." He offered in that tone that suggested that if I agreed, there would be much more to this agreement. And I wasn't so sure I liked what I could possibly be getting myself into.

"Why would you help me?" I craned my neck to stare up into those mischievous blue orbs. "You don't like me."

"I don't. But my help will be beneficial to the both of us. I'll be helping you, helping me." He raised his hand, lightly drawing his cold fingers across my cheek, causing me to shudder.

"Of course, because this is all about you."

"Don't you realize, teacup? It's always about me."

* * *

"I can't believe I agreed to this." I mumbled to myself as I sat in the living room, waiting for Godric to leave for the night, having some sort of Sheriff business just on the outskirts of town. Godric had yet to figure out Eric's and my little plan, our attempt to find out more about my impending kidnapping. I was sure that Godric would find out, considering his bonds with both Eric and I. but either he was clueless or he just didn't want to know, because as he left tonight, kissing me out of obligation and sending Eric words of warning, he didn't mention anything at all about what Eric and I were about to get ourselves up to tonight.

We had yet to practice with one another since we had made our little deal. It had been a few days, and I had spent them resting up for tonight. Because I knew Eric would drive me hard, I knew I would be using much more energy, much more strength and power than I ever could imagine. And I guess in one way, it was a good thing Eric was the one to help me. Because his negative attitude, his annoying little comments, they would only drive me to want to prove him wrong, to prove to him that I wasn't some little immature girl that was taking advantage of Godric.

"Are you ready, teacup?" Eric came waltzing into the room.

"Are you ever going to stop calling me that?" I sighed.

"No." He smirked as he settled down on the coffee table before me. I had decided on remaining on the couch this time, in case what happened the last time occurred tonight. Because I honestly doubt Eric would care if I banged myself up at all. But if I hurt myself at all, if I had a single scratch or bruise on my body when Godric came home, then he would know something was up. "Let's get to work."

"Alright alright, give me a moment." I shook out my arms.

"Hurry it up, we don't have all night."

"I'm the one doing all the work, remember." I shot at him.

"Shut your mouth and just do as I tell you." His expression hardened. "Or would you rather I tell Godric about this."

"Yeah yeah, I get it." I grumbled before rolling my shoulders in a last attempt to release the tension. "What now, oh great and mighty Viking?"

"That attitude will get you everywhere." He smirked at me before growing serious. "Close your eyes."

I nodded and did as he told. I didn't exactly want to follow Eric's orders, but he was right. I did need him. He might not know what he was doing either, but he was a thousand years old, he had seen things that I couldn't even imagine. If there was just a sliver of a chance that Eric could help me, well I didn't really have much else to grasp onto.

"Breathe." I felt Eric's cold hands on my shoulders. "Just breathe."

I inhaled slowly, holding the breath for a moment, before letting it out. I repeated this over and over again, Eric's hands slowly massaging my shoulders that seemed so against his character. But I didn't complain, as it oddly was working, helping my entire body relax. With the massaging along with my deep intakes of breath, I soon found myself relaxed in no time, my joints and muscles losing all of their pent up tension.

"What now?"

"Stop speaking." His hands left my shoulders. "Just stay silent, if that's at all possible."

I snorted but didn't say a word.

"Clear your thoughts, though I doubt you have very many of those, teacup."

I flashed him the finger before doing just that. I let my thoughts slowly dwindle until not a single one was left. It took a few moments, and from the tension in the room, I knew Eric was growing frustrated and impatient, but I refused to focus on it. I just continued to breathe, to let the relaxation take over my entire body and mind.

"Now concentrate on Steve Newlin, that bastard." A growl emitted from the back of his throat. "Focus on what you want to know. Just continue to focus on it; think of nothing else."

It felt easier to do with someone sitting there with me, guiding me along. I didn't have to think of the steps, I didn't have to worry or think for myself. Even if it was Eric doing this with me, I was grateful.

"I said concentrate, teacup." I felt a light tap on my cheek.

I suppressed the eye roll I felt coming and began focusing all of my energy, all of my thoughts on Steve Newlin, on the kidnapping we all knew was to come. I visualized everything that I could, I allowed my senses to leave reality, just for a moment, and let it be completely drawn in to my powers, to whatever vision may appear to me. I found it was strangely difficult this time around, to focus solely on my kidnapping. My mind just kept pulling me back to reality, back to the present. I wasn't sure why I kept envisioning the living room, why I kept seeing flashes of Eric's face. I struggled with my concentration, my arms beginning to tense as I fought against my own mind.

"Come on, teacup, try harder."

I did everything I could but I just kept bringing brought back to this dam living room, even with my eyes closed. After a moment, the exhaustion setting over me, I just gave in. I didn't fight as the images were focused. I didn't struggle against myself as everything began playing out before me like a video tape.

I didn't realize it until I heard the shattering of glass, the sudden gust of wind right beside my ear, that I was having a vision. I didn't realize until a sudden cry of pain sounded before a strange wetness splattered all over me, that what I was seeing, what I was hearing, what I had been struggling against, had been a vision all along. It wasn't until I was staring at the spot Eric had just been sitting, now only a pool of blood and vampire guts, that I was able to break myself out of my trance, out of the vision that had come all on its own.

"What is…"

Eric never finished his sentence as a gasp emitted from my lips, my eyes flying open. I never had a chance to explain myself as I suddenly leapt up, my body working on its own accord, and twisted around to face the large windows behind the couch. I saw movement in the bushes, but there hadn't been a moment to warn Eric. It all happened within seconds. It all happened so quick that I hadn't even realized that the window had shattered before us, that two wooden bullets had lodged themselves straight into my chest with the intention of killing Eric.

"What the fuck?" Eric snapped up, the sound of fangs clicking out.

I didn't feel the pain at first. I think it was adrenaline. I remember watching a show once when they said that adrenaline and shock could mask the mass amount of pain and trauma that a victim was in. It all came in waves. Stan suddenly appeared in the room, demanding to know what had happened. Eric ordered him to find the humans, and Stan was gone once again. Eric was talking to me now, though I couldn't hear what he was saying. All I could hear was the beating of my heart, the pumping of my blood in my ears. But as that began to slow, as the adrenaline began to fade, I started to feel the pain. And it was horrible. It was pure agony as the bullets had ripped right through my body, right through my organs. I was scared to look down at the damage, but I couldn't stop myself from doing so. I felt sickened when I saw the state my shirt was in, the blood that was pouring rapidly out of my wounds.

"What the hell did you do?" Eric hissed, his voice meeting my ears at the same moment that my legs collapsed from underneath me. "What the fuck did you do?"


	22. Chapter Twenty One

**Chapter Twenty One:**

They say the act of dying, is actually not all that painful. The wounds, the injuries are what causes you pain. But dying, that's a whole lot more peaceful. You see a bright warm light, you walk into it, and then your life just ends. Maybe a new one begins, who am I to know what happens after death. I wasn't someone who went to church, though my mother had tried to get my father and me to go on a handful of different occasions. But I did believe there was a heaven. It was hard not to. Because if there wasn't, then where did you go when you died? I didn't want to think of hell; I didn't want to think that I would just suddenly be no more. I needed something to hold onto, something to give me hope as my life faded.

Eric caught me before I meet the ground, his arms wrapped around me as he gently placed me on the ground, my blood already pooling around my body. He was kneeling in the blood, hardly caring about his own clothes as he shook my shoulders, my eyes beginning to close.

"You are a stupid girl, do you hear me?" He growled into my ear, lightly slapping my cheek. "Wake the fuck up, Taylor."

It was the first time he had spoke my name since we had met, and it was for that reason that I was able to force my eyes open. I tried to open my mouth to say something meaningful, but only cries of pain escaped my lips. I had thought having a vampire ripping into my throat had been painful. But this was much much worse. This was the worst pain I have ever felt in my life, and I imagined it was the worst pain imaginable. I couldn't breathe. One of the bullets must have slashed through my lungs, as I couldn't take a single breath no matter how hard I tried.

"Oh my god." Isabel's voice sounded far away, though I could see with my own eyes that she was standing over Eric and I. "What happened, Eric?"

"She was shot. She was shot when the damn bullets were aimed at me." Eric growled, looking up at Isabel. "Where the hell is Godric? Get him now."

"He has to already know." Isabel assured him, though there was panic in her usually warm eyes. "She's dying, Eric. I can hear her heart and…she's dying."

"Damnit, don't you think I know that!" Eric roared, glaring down at me. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"S-sor-sorry." I gasped out, using what little air I had left. The blood was starting to seep out of my mouth, causing me to cough, the shaking of my body making the blood pour out of me at a quicker rate.

"There isn't enough time to wait for Godric, Eric. She's dying." Isabel's voice was high pitched. "She needs blood, and she needs blood now."

"Fuck." Eric swore as our gazes connected. I was surprised at the worry in his eyes, mixing with the fear. I wondered if it were his eyes that would be my last memory as my eyes slowly began to close, my heart not able to take much more. "Damnit, Taylor, you will not die, do you hear me? You will not die and let me lose your god damn gift. You. Will. Not. Die."

My consciousness was slipping away from me for the last time. But before I could I could reach for that bright shiny light, I felt something thick and wet meeting my lips.

"Drink god damnit."

My mouth was pried open, and without even being completely conscious, I knew what Eric was doing. I wasn't sure if there was enough time, or if it would save my life at all, but I drank what I could of his blood. Because I didn't want to die, I didn't want to just leave this world, not yet. There were still so many things I had left that I wanted to do. I couldn't swallow however, not on my own. I only managed to choke the blood back up, my bullet wounds still bleeding heavily. I was feeling light headed, like my life was being ripped right out of me. I never thought I would die like this. I mean, I was with a vampire, surrounded by them all the time. I had expected that if I should ever die while I was so young, that it would have been at the hands of a vampire. But instead, they were from bullets, from a gun, from something so human. It was almost humorous, if I hadn't been dying that is.

"Do not go into the fucking light, do you hear me?" I vaguely heard Eric's pleads as a hand began massaging my throat, trying to do whatever he could to get me to swallow. "Come on teacup, don't you dare die on me. How the hell am I supposed to benefit from your gift if you die?"

I would have snorted, laughed even, if the numbness hadn't washed over me. The pain was getting lesser and lesser, but I knew it wasn't because of Eric's blood, because of the vampire healing qualities. The sound of my heart beating was ringing in my ears, and it was the most horrifying thing in the world to hear my own death. It was slowing as my organs began shutting down, as the blood left my body, leaving me as a lifeless shell.

"I swear to whatever god you may believe in that if you should die, I will find a way to resurrect you and kill you myself. So get the fuck away from the light and drink."

I never thought Eric Northman would be worried over some silly human girl. It didn't seem like him. He didn't seem like someone who would care about anyone other than himself, and maybe perhaps Godric. But here he was, leaning over me, his bloody wrist pressed against my lips. Maybe it was because of that reason that I found myself using what little strength I had left to swallow his blood, or maybe I just wanted to see Godric one last time, to kiss him, to lie in his arms, anything really. But I was able to do it. It was hard, and it was taking longer than I possibly could have had. But ever so slowly, the blood was entering my body. I wasn't sure it was going to replenish the blood I was losing however, the living room floor now soaked entirely in my dark red blood, my life force. But vampire blood didn't work like that. It didn't need to replenish, it didn't need to replace anything. Because it could heal a wound miraculously.

And that's exactly what was happening.

I hadn't thought it was possible. I was near death; I could see that light they always talked about in books and movies. It was warm, and inviting, and it took all of my power not to walk towards it, to welcome the peacefulness. But I had to fight. Because I really wanted to see Godric again. I wanted to see that beautiful face of his, those striking blue eyes. I never told him that I did actually love him. And I realized now that our childish fights meant absolutely nothing. Because at the end of the day, none of that even mattered. All that mattered was him and the fact that I loved him and never wanted to be with another man in my entire life.

I just needed to make sure I could live long enough to tell him that.

"Oh god."

As if by some miracle, I was hearing Godric's voice. I wasn't sure if I was just imagining things or not. Maybe I really was dying, despite the blood Eric was feeding me, and all I wanted was to hear Godric's voice one last time before I died.

"What…What happened?"

There was his voice again, and as I pried my eyes open, I was relieved to find that I hadn't been imagining Godric at all. There he was, kneeling beside me, his eyes roaming over my body before resting over my bullet wounds.

"One minute she was having a vision and the next she was throwing herself in front of me." Eric explained hurriedly, removing his wrist, only for Godric to bite into his own and place it back against my lips. It felt easier, more natural to drink Godric's blood than it been for Eric's. Maybe it was just becoming more of a habit now, which probably wasn't a good thing. But I gladly sucked as best as I could on the blood leaving his open wound. I could tell that it was slowly working. I wasn't sure if it would be enough, but I was hanging onto the thread that should have slipped away long ago. I was holding on for dear life, and as every dropped passed through my throat, as the seconds counted down, I could slowly begin to feel my wounds healing.

And then so suddenly, a jab of pain shot right through me, my eyes squeezing shut as it intensified.

"The bullet is being pushed out." Godric explained to me, sensing the sudden pain. He caressed my cheek, trying his best to comfort me. And while I appreciated his effort, nothing could comfort me through this, not entirely. "Who did this, Eric?"

"I sent Stan to find the humans." Eric informed, and as I slowly opened my eyes, I found him sitting back, a stunned look on his face as he starred at the blood pooling around them on the ground. "I…she was dying…I…"

"Thank you." Godric sent him a loving look. "Thank you my child."

Eric nodded, his gaze resting on mine. We just stared at one another as I drank Godric's blood, and I felt as if our relationship, one filled with insults and hatred, was about to shift. I mean, we couldn't exactly go back to butting heads and hating one another, not after this, could we? I hoped not.

It was amazing the perspective you can get when nearly dying.

"She's healing." Godric sighed in relief, causing me to turn my attention back onto myself.

He was right. I was healing. I felt the bullet being pushed right out of my body before the wound began closing. My organs were slowly healing themselves thanks to the vampire blood I was ingesting, and the numbness and pain began to subside. I was relieved when I was able to inhale a deep breath, the oxygen now flowing freely into my lungs. I never realized just how desperately I wanted to live until I was faced with death. And it was different than the last time, when that vampire had attacked me. Part of me knew that Godric was there, that he would save me. But this time, this time I had faced death, I had seen it, I had felt it. It was right there, right at my fingertips. My life had almost slipped away, right before my very eyes, and if Eric hadn't acted as quickly as he had, giving me his blood when I was sure it was the last thing he wanted to do, then I was certain I would have died.

"Do not do that to me ever again, my love." Godric cupped my cheek, a single bloody tear slipping down his cheek. "I cannot lose you."

I wanted to tell him that I loved him, that I never wanted to be with anyone else, but I had more important things to take care of, like drinking Godric's blood. After awhile, he finally pulled his wrist away from my lips, his wound healing instantly. I sighed heavily as I closed my eyes for a moment, not caring at all that Godric's hands were lifting up my shirt right there in front of Eric.

"She's healed." He informed us, tugging the soaking wet shirt back down before slipping his arms underneath me.

There still was a bit of aching in my chest where I had been shot, but other than that, I felt perfectly healed. My head was spinning from the vast amount of vampire blood I had drunk, the exhaustion from both the vision and the shooting washing over me. But I honestly felt completely okay, which was almost hard to believe. Minutes ago I was dying. I was literally dying. And now Godric was whisking me away through the house, my heart beating even stronger than it originally had been. It was just absolutely amazing what vampire blood could do, what the blood of two ancient vampires could achieve.

I peeked my eyes open as I felt myself being set down. I gazed round lazily before realizing I was in Godric's bathroom, Godric setting me down in a large tub big enough for two people, or maybe three or four. Neither of us said a word as he silently began stripping me of my stained and dirty clothes, clothes that I was sure that even if they could be cleaned, I wouldn't want to see them anytime soon. I never thought in a million years that I would be shot, that two wooden bullets would nearly kill me. It was a memory that I would unfortunately never forget, one that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

A sigh of content left my lips as Godric began filling the tub. When I realized that my bra and panties were still in place, I think I fell in love with Godric just a little bit more. He was respecting my privacy, not taking advantage of the situation like he could have to sneak a peek. But he wasn't, and instead, once the bath was filled with warm comforting water, he began slowly washing the blood off of me with the softest cloth. I moaned slightly, my eyes nearly rolling to the back of my head. I've never had someone bathe me before, not since I was a little kid and my parents would do so. This was so much different than that however. There was a passion that was electrified between us as Godric slipped the shirt off over his head and entered the tub, shifting me so my back was pressed against his chest. I felt his lips on my neck, and if it had been any other moment in time, it would have felt sexual. But it didn't. It was just a sweet kiss; it was the man I loved showing that he cared, that he was more overjoyed than I could ever imagine that I was alive.

"I love you." I mumbled, the exhaustion setting over me quicker now, my eyes fluttering close.

I felt his hands in my hair, washing away the blood, massaging my scalp. I felt sleep take a hold of me, and I gladly slipped into unconsciousness in Godric's comforting arms, knowing that was exactly where I always wanted to be.

* * *

Godric rubbed the bridge of his nose as he sat on the edge of his bed, watching as Taylor slept peacefully beside him. He had been beside himself when he felt the first wave of pain. He had dropped everything and flew right into the air just as the pain increased. He was nearly knocked out of the sky by the sheer intensity, and it took all of his willpower to continue. He had felt his bond with her flicker, her life slowly slipping away. He had been scared that he would get there too late, that she would be gone by the time he arrived. He pushed harder and harder, flying faster than he ever had in his life.

He hadn't been expecting to find what he had when he entered that living room. He had smelt the blood before even landing on the ground, and it only took mere seconds before he was staring down at the bleeding form of his seer. The glass had been shattered in the living room behind the couch, and from the wooden bullet he spied lying not too far from where Taylor had been lying, he knew right away what had happened. He was shocked however, to find Eric forcing his blood down Taylor's throat. But as he searched through his bond with his progeny, he could feel the fear; he could sense the urgency shooting through Eric. And that gave him hope.

He thought he had lost her, he thought she was about to slip out of his life once and for all. He never thought how attached he had become until Taylor's life had nearly ended. And now, well now he realized just how deeply he fell for this human girl. Her actions didn't surprise him. She had saved his own life that first night they met in that coffee shop. She didn't care if she was jumping in front of a vampire, she didn't care who it was, she was just willing to sacrifice everything to save another. And that was a quality that was rare to find in any soul, whether that be a vampire or a human.

"Godric?"

Godric looked up in surprise to find his progeny leaning against the open doorway of his room, a look of concern plastered across his face. Eric tried to mask the emotions he was feeling, he tried to close the bond between them, but Godric just knew him too well. He waved him further into the room before glancing back at Taylor, his hand having a mind of its own as he caressed her warm cheek. She had been cold when he had first touched her, when he had desperately tried to return her back to life. But the colour had returned to her cheeks, the warmth spreading through her now.

"You saved her life." Godric watched as Eric moved closer to the bed, his gaze resting on Taylor's sleeping form.

"She saved mine." He replied simply.

"You assured me you would make sure she wouldn't practice while I wasn't here." Godric reminded him.

Eric sighed, running a hand through his long hair before raising his gaze to meet his maker's. "I know."

"And?"

"And we needed to know." Eric shrugged his large shoulders. "All of our lives are on the line here, Godric. She is the key. If she can…"

"And now look what's happened." Godric motioned to Taylor.

"That wasn't due to the vision. I don't even know what she saw." Eric frowned.

"She had to of known." Godric tilted is head to the side. "She had to of known there were humans outside, that there were bullets aimed to kill you."

"I wouldn't have…"

"You did." A small voice spoke, surprising both of them.

Taylor slowly opened her eyes, taking in the gazes of both vampires staring down at her. She felt uncomfortable, but the moment her gaze rested on Godric's, she felt a sense of calm wash over her. She was certain it was Godric's doing, but welcomed it as she pushed herself up slowly into a sitting position.

"You did die, in my vision." Taylor risked glancing up at the large vampire. "One minute you were there and the next…you were just…dead."

She couldn't read the look on his face. He was masking his emotions. But there was a flicker of shock in his eyes as he realized just how close he too had been to death.

"Why?" he questioned.

"Why what?" she asked in confusion.

"Why did you do it?"

She raised an eyebrow, shooting Godric a look of confusion.

"Why the hell did you jump in front of me?" Eric was growling now, his hands clenched at his sides.

Taylor rolled her eyes. Maybe nothing was going to change at all between them. Perhaps they would just go back to how they used to act, both hating one another.

"Eric, now is not the time for this." Godric stopped his progeny. "Just let her rest, she's been through enough trauma tonight."

"No, it's alright, Godric." Taylor assured him, smiling at the man she loved. After a moment, after a shared minute between them, she turned her gaze back onto Eric's. "It's pretty simple if you think about it."

"What?" he hissed.

"I didn't really have to think about it. Somehow I just knew it was going to happen and I didn't even think. I knew I had to do it, I knew that I would have a better chance of surviving than you obviously would have. So I did it." Taylor shrugged.

"But _why_?" he demanded to know.

"You're his progeny, Eric." Taylor found Godric's hand, squeezing it gently. "You're his family. He loves you, despite the fact that this last week or so has been highly stressful for all of us. And I…I couldn't let someone he loves die, not when I could do something to stop it."

"You nearly died yourself." Godric cupped her cheek.

"But I didn't. You gave me your blood, both of you did." She looked between the two vampires. "Eric wouldn't have had a chance to survive. He was killed so quickly…but I…I'm human, and I know you think we're weaker, but in some cases, we're a whole lot stronger."

Silence filled the room. Eric was too caught up in his thoughts to speak, and Godric and Taylor were lost in their stares. Eric found himself almost disgusted by the way his maker was looking at a mere human. But even he was beginning to see the little girl he had detested in a different light. She had sacrificed herself, much like he would do for his maker. He didn't understand it of course. Why would a silly little human save him? They hated one another. Part of him had even wished that she would just drop dead and leave them all be. But the moment he realized what Taylor had done, something had changed inside of him. She had saved him, and for what reason? Because she loved Godric to the point that she would save the man she hated, only to make his maker happy. He had been so certain she had been there for a reason. Whether it be money, or sex, or even Godric's blood. But there had to of been a reason. He wouldn't accept that his maker had _feelings_ for her. He wouldn't accept that they could be in love. But as he watched the two, watched as they moved together, as they stared at one another as if there was no one else in the world except them, Eric was beginning to realize he had been wrong, and that was something he normally never admitted to.

* * *

I watched as Godric hovered around me the next night, barely ever leaving my side more than a moment, as if he was afraid another bullet would come out of nowhere and actually kill me this time. It was sweet, when I thought about it. We hadn't spoken about the whole vision thing since I had nearly died, and while I knew eventually we would have that conversation, I felt in bliss. I could curl up next to Godric, watching movies all night, every single day for the rest of my life.

"We need to talk." Godric sighed as the movie I had picked out ended, Godric reaching over to shut the TV off.

"Can't we just hold off on the whole talking bit?" I groaned, digging my head into his shoulder. We were happy. For a brief moment in time, there was so worry about my impending kidnapping that would throw all of us in danger, and not even Eric bothered us. In fact, I was pretty certain he was avoiding me all together. But that was just fine, because part of me didn't want to see him. It was different now. I didn't know what to say or do around him. I had saved his life, sacrificed myself in order to keep him alive. It was stupid by all means, I nearly died myself. But I had the better chance of surviving. And I knew Godric would be more distraught over losing Eric than me. And as horrible as that may sound, I was okay with that. Because I don't think anyone could have a bond quite like Eric and Godric did.

"No." he squeezed my shoulders before lifting my chin for our gazes to meet. "We need to talk."

"You know, in human terms, we need to talk usually ends in some big fight and someone stomping away." I pointed out with a pout. "Let's just skip to the part where we make up."

"We have to talk, Taylor, you know we do. You went behind my back, after I specifically asked you not to practice with your visions. We need to talk about this." His expression hardened.

I sighed and nodded, shifting so my body was turned completely towards him on the couch.

"I know it was wrong that Eric and I were sneaking around behind your back, but hey, isn't better that we were working on my visions then doing other stuff?" I tried to make light of the situation.

But Godric didn't look very pleased at all.

My shoulders slumped forward. "Okay, sorry, no more jokes. I really am sorry, Godric. I'm sorry for lying to you and going behind your back. But I'm not sorry for doing it."

"Don't you realize how dangerous it is? Don't you realize what this can do to you?"

"It can let us know how the hell our lives are all going to end up on the line." I pointed out with a frown. "We need to do this, Godric. We need to know when and how this is all going to happen. And the only way we're going to do that is if I can somehow have a vision. And that won't happen if I don't practice."

"It's too dangerous." He shook his head, as if he was ending the discussion just like that.

"Maybe I'm not being clear enough." I crossed my arms over my chest. "You're not my maker; you can't command me to stop practicing. I don't want to hurt you, and I definitely don't want to hurt myself, but this is the only way, Godric. So whether you want to help me or not, I'm going to do this."

"I won't allow it."

"You won't allow it?" I raised an eyebrow. "Did I just hear you right? You can't tell me what I can or cannot do. You're not my father, you're not my maker, you're just my…"

"I'm saying this for your own well being, Taylor." Godric's voice began lowering as the anger flashed in his orbs. "I don't want to lose you. I nearly did last night and I cannot go through that again. I cannot lose someone so close to me, who I care so greatly about. So no, Taylor, I won't allow you to do this."

"You've already locked me away, Godric; you can't stop me from doing this."

"If I should have to drop everything to be at your side to ensure that you don't, then I will."

"You're a vampire, you sleep during the day." I pointed out to him.

"I'll find someone to watch over you then."

"You mean a babysitter." I rolled my eyes. "Your acting ridiculous, Godric."

"Don't you care at all, Taylor? Don't you care about your life at all?" his anger was growing as he was unable to sit any longer and began pacing in front of me.

I sighed and stood up as well, planting my hands firmly on my hips.

"Of course I care! But I also care about you and surprisingly Eric and I don't want to see either of you drop dead when I could have saved us all. I'm the one who can stop this, Godric. So god, will you just let me already!"

"No." he snapped, his fangs beginning to peek out.

"You don't have a say in this, Godric. I'm going to do whatever it is that I want to. If that means moving back out, even if it means living on the streets, I damn well will do it." I gritted my teeth before twisting around on my heel and storming out of the room.

* * *

The night passed quickly, the time moving faster than I thought it would as I paced my bedroom angrily. I was furious with Godric. I understood that he cared about me, that he didn't want me to get hurt, or possibly die like what happened last night. But that had nothing to do with my visions, with using too much of my own power. I had put myself into that situation when I jumped in front of Eric to save his life. But I didn't regret doing it; I didn't regret nearly sacrificing myself. I was in pain, I nearly died. And that put everything into perspective. I realized just how much I wanted to live. And yes, pushing myself with these visions, it could very well be my downfall. But if I didn't try and at least work at it, practice and hope I can get a vision to help us, then we all may very well die.

And I couldn't let that happen.

"Stupid vampire." I mumbled.

"Talking to yourself now?"

I yelped in surprise at the unexpected voice, my heart nearly stopping for a second time as I turned around to glare at Eric's smirking face.

"Do you enjoy sneaking up on girls in their bedroom." I held my hand over my racing heart.

"Yes." His smirk widened as he stepped into the room, his eyes roaming over everything before stopping on me. "You've been avoiding me."

"We've been avoiding each other." I corrected as I moved around the bed, beginning to toss off the extra pillows. Once I had pulled down the comforter, my bed ready for me to slip into it and just sleep away all my problems and worries, I glanced over at Eric who hadn't said a word. I raised an eyebrow as I crossed my arms over my chest, trying to figure out what he could possibly want.

"I…" there was a strained look on his face as his teeth gritted together. "I wanted to say…thank you."

My mouth just gaped open in shock. I probably looked like a complete fool to Eric as I just stood there gobsmacked at what he had just said, but I didn't care. He had actually thanked me. Eric Northman, the most arrogant vampire, and I was certain man, in the world, had actually said the words thank you. Was the sky falling? Was hell freezing over? Was this the end of the world? I never thought this day would ever come. Maybe I was just dreaming.

"Stop that." He narrowed his eyes with a frown. "Stop with all of your _feelings_."

"Huh?" I shook my head, trying to mask the shock I felt. When I realized what he had said however, I slapped myself for forgetting that he had given me blood last night. And from my past experiences of a vampire giving me blood to save my life, I knew what this now meant. "Oh right, we have a bond now, don't we."

"Unfortunately." He slipped his hands into his jean pockets, looking completely uncomfortable. This also had to be a first for him.

Well look at that, I save his life and he starts maturing.

Kind of.

"So you're welcome."

"What?" his eyes narrowed even further.

"You're welcome." I couldn't help but smirk. I'm sure he's never heard those words directed at him either. "You said thank you, and I'm saying you're welcome. Of course, you technically saved my life too, so thank you for that."

He didn't say a word and I rolled my eyes. Maybe he hadn't entirely grown up yet, but he was different than he had been before this had all happened. Maybe something had changed like I thought it would. Maybe he didn't hate me as much as he used to, or maybe he could at least tolerate me now. Whatever it was, I hoped he wouldn't resort back to his old ways. Because I really did want to get along with Eric, for Godric's sake.

"Why?" He asked, still standing in the middle of my room, his head tilted to the side. "You hate me."

"No, I hate you attitude." I shook my head, taking a seat on my bed, knowing this was going to take longer than I had been hoping. I really was exhausted; all the events of the past twenty four hours were just finally hitting me. "I hate the fact that you hate me. But I don't actually hate you."

"I don't understand."

He really did look confused too. "I don't know why it is that you hate me. Maybe you think I'm just using Godric, or maybe you're jealous that he's giving someone else the attention you want. I don't know, and I doubt I ever will know. But I honestly don't hate you, Eric. Because you mean everything to Godric. If there was a contest, you would win every time. Godric would always choose you. He and I, we might have something special right now, but I'm a human and he's a vampire. Eventually thing are going to change. But with you, you're always going to be there. Godric will always choose you, Eric, always. So you never have to worry about being replaced. You never have to worry about someone being chosen over you. Because that's never going to be the case."

Eric's frown deepened as I gazed down at my fiddling hands in my lap.

"I took those bullets for you last night because of that. If you had died, I don't know what would have happened to Godric. He loves you, and I'm not sure how he would have changed if that vision had come true. But with me, I know he cares, but at some point in time, we're going to end up parting ways. It's sad, and I wish it wasn't true, but he's immortal and I'm not. I may have died, and I almost did, but at the end of the day, Godric could get over me, but he would never get over losing you."

I risked looking up at the vampire, and I was surprised to see the softened expression on his face.

"You love him don't you?"

I couldn't help but smile as I answered. "Yes, I do. I love him a lot. I probably screwed up our relationship tonight, but I do love him. And until he tells me to leave, I'm not going anywhere, Eric. Because I don't have all that much time with him, not like you do."

His eyebrows furrowed together for a moment, and I was surprised when he just turned and began leaving the room. He stopped in the doorway however, his head turning to glance at me over his shoulder.

"I'm leaving."

For a second time that night, I found myself shocked. "You're leaving?"

"Tomorrow night at dusk." He nodded. "I have business to attend to in Louisiana."

"Okay then." I nodded, not sure why he was telling me this.

"Whatever Godric may say, you can't stop." He turned towards me, a serious look in his eyes. "You need to control your visions. Because the next time we meet, I fear it won't be on good terms."

"I will." I nodded.

He nodded before suddenly he was just gone, leaving me alone to my thoughts. I sighed as I didn't even bother to close my door as I fell back onto my bed, my head hitting the pillow. I could feel the exhaustion setting in, and I could have fallen asleep in mere minutes. But I just couldn't stop thinking about Godric. I hadn't lied to Eric, I really did love Godric. I loved him with all of my heart. And here we were, at odds ends with one another. We weren't supposed to be fighting. We were supposed to be enjoying what time we did have together. Because sadly, we didn't have all the time in the world. I wasn't a vampire, I wasn't immortal. At some point I was going to grow old, and Godric wouldn't want to be around for that. So we only had a limited time together, and I didn't want to waste it arguing. Sure, we disagreed on almost everything. But I had almost died last night. I almost died and then we wouldn't be having these petty arguments to begin with. So I may not like it, and we had some compromises to make, but I just didn't want to fight anymore.

So without a second thought, I climbed off my bed to go in search of the vampire in question. I returned back to the living room, but found it to be completely empty. His office was found in the exact same way. My last resort was his bedroom, which I kicked myself for not checking first as it was right beside mine. It was nearly dawn, and as I looked through the windows as the heavy black light tight window coverings began descending, I found the sky to be lightening. Godric may not even be awake any more, but I had to at least try to talk with him. Because I didn't want to waste another minute. I just wanted to move past this and be happy.

I inhaled sharply as I lightly knocked on Godric's door, praying that he would still be awake.

"Come in."

I silently thanked the heavens as I pushed the door open, slipping into the room and closing the door behind me.

"You're awake." I commented, leaning against the door as I took in Godric's appearance. He was lying on his bed, his arms crossed behind his head as he stared up at the ceiling. His shirt was missing, and he was no longer wearing his linen pants and instead a plaid set of pyjama bottoms. I was distracted for a moment by his beauty, having to shake my head to remind myself why I was here.

"Why are you here?" Godric sighed as his gaze lowered to meet mine.

"I love you." I blurted out, taking a step forward. "I love you, Godric, and I know it's probably way too soon to say that out loud, and you probably think I'm a complete nut case. But I do love you. It's almost pathetic how much I love you."

He didn't say a word as he lifted himself up into a sitting position, his back leaning against the headboard of his bed. "We were fighting."

"We were, yes." I nodded, taking another step towards the bed.

"So why are you here?" there was a look of confusion on his face. "We argued and you left."

"That's what people do, Godric. Sometimes they yell and scream and get so pissed off that someone walks away." I drew even closer until I was sitting on the bed before him. "But sometimes they also come back and realize that they don't care about whatever it is they were yelling about in the first place. Because sometimes they realize that they just want to be happy, and I hope to god you realize that I'm talking about me here."

The corners of his lips twitched, but he fought to keep his face neutral, as if this was some sort of competition and he wanted to win.

Men!

"I almost died last night, Godric, and I've realized just how little time all of us have. And I don't want to waste that time fighting. Because fighting with you is extremely not fun." I scooted closer to him. "I want to be happy, Godric. I want to be happy, and not have to worry about my life for one minute. Because it's exhausting, I have to say."

"Perhaps you shouldn't have pushed yourself so hard." He pointed out.

"Not the point, but yes, I know it's dangerous." I nodded, not disagreeing with him. "It's extremely dangerous to be playing with fire, and that's pretty much what I'm doing. And I don't want to die, Godric, I honestly don't. But you also have to realize that I just want to do this because I want to keep all of us safe. Even Eric."

"I don't…I cannot see you like that again." His mask faltered and the emotion began spilling out.

"I promise I won't push myself. I promise I won't use too much of my powers. I just need to try, just a little bit. Because if I can get eve a flicker of information that could help us, then maybe none of it will even happen." I drew so closer that our knees were touching. "But I need your help with that. Because I can't do this on my own. At least with you helping me, you can stop me when it becomes too much. It'll be safer, and I promise I won't fight you on it."

Godric sighed, his gaze lowering for a moment. I was afraid he was going to say no, that everything I've said had been for nothing. But I was relieved when his gaze met mine once again and he nodded. I couldn't help but grin as I threw my arms around Godric's neck, digging my head into his shoulder.

"I promise you it will be different, Godric. And maybe we'll do it in a room without any windows, just on the safe side."

Godric chuckled as he held onto me tightly, his nose nuzzling my hair. I sighed in content, loving the feel of his arms around me. I could have just drifted off to sleep right then and there, but there was still one thing I wanted to discuss with Godric.

"My birthday is in a few days." I mentioned, pulling back away from him so I could fix my position. I was now straddling his legs, a position I was not used to but found to be natural with Godric. I rested my hands on his chest, my fingers dancing lightly across the tattoo the stretched from one collar bone to the other.

"You never told me that." He sounded surprised, his hands resting on my hips.

"It didn't seem like a big deal before." I shrugged my shoulders.

"And now?"

"And now it is." I chewed on my bottom lip, hoping I wouldn't regret bringing this up. "And do you want to know why it's a big deal now?"

"Why?" he wondered curiously.

"Because that's the night you're going to claim me."

I watched his face for a reaction, and I was a bit disappointed when I didn't get one. He just stared back at me with this blank look on his face.

"Did you hear me?" I frowned.

"I did." He nodded.

"So? What do you…"

"I think it's a good idea." Godric surprised me by saying. "I have put it off long enough. I don't wish to lose you in any shape or form, Taylor."

"So you'll claim me? Really?" there was a glint of happiness in my eyes as a smile broke out across my face.

"I will." He began rubbing small circles on my bare skin underneath the hem of my shirt. "If that's what you truly want."

"That would be the only birthday gift I could ever want." I leaned forwards, capturing his lips with my own.

It was thrilling that for the first time, I was taking charge. I had initiated the kiss; I was the one straddling him. And I was the one with all the power. Of course, that was the furthest thing from the truth. Godric after all was much stronger, and had more experience than I did. But I had learned a lot from this vampire, in so many different forms. I wasn't so innocent anywhere, not by any means.

"And you know what that means, right?" I whispered into his ear as my lips brushed down his neck, eliciting a groan from the vampire beneath me, the bulge growing in his pants.

"What?" he rasped out.

"I won't be the only one getting what I want that night." My hands began moving down his chest, my nails raking against his skin until they stopped just at the top of his drawstring pants. He jolted beneath me, and I couldn't help but smirk as I lightly nipped at his ear, much like he had done to me on so many occasions.

"And what would that be?" his eyes closed as I moved my lips back up his neck, across his jaw and to his lips once again.

"Oh I think you know." I chuckled before pressing my lips against his. I pulled away as Godric began pressing me further against him, a laugh emitting my lips as I rolled off of him and onto the bed beside him.

"You are a tease." He mused, his eyes still closed as he calmed himself down.

I glanced at the bulge still left in his pants and I burst out laughing, which only resulted in Godric hovering over me suddenly, his hands going straight to my ticklish sides. I was laughing so hard I was crying as Godric tickled me, causing me to squirm all over the bed until Godric's actions began to grow more sluggish.

"You need to sleep." I swatted his hands away from my sides. I went to push myself up off of the bed, but Godric grabbed my waist and pulled me to him.

"Stay." He turned on his side, pulling me against him as his arm tightened around my waist. "Stay with me."

"Always." I breathed out, lightly kissing him on the lips as his body began to relax and he slipped into a dead rest. I smiled as I stared at the vampire I was now trapped to, and I couldn't have asked for a better end to the night.

I had nearly died twenty four hours ago.

And now I felt like the happiest girl in the world.


	23. Chapter Twenty Two

**Chapter Twenty Two:**

I woke the afternoon of my birthday from the lightest touch trailing down my arm. I shifted underneath the sheets, hoping the cool digits would go away. I was in a sleepy haze, nearly fast asleep but still aware of the world around me. But the fingers only began to teasingly trace invisible designs across my t-shirt covered stomach. I shuddered as the cool fingers lightly teased my bare midriff where the shirt had ridden up. I swatted at the hand, trying to shrug away the dead weight, otherwise known as an arm, wrapping around my waist. I tried to let sleep consume me, to slip deeper into the peaceful dreams. It was my birthday after all; I should have been able to sleep the entire day away.

But someone seemed to have other plans.

"Wake up my precious little seer." Godric's velvety smooth accented voice whispered into my ear, his fingers trailing across my jaw.

"Go away." I mumbled, squeezing my eyes shut as if it would cause me to fall asleep faster.

"Open those beautiful eyes, for me?" I felt his lips on the curve of my neck, my hair being brushed off of my shoulder. I couldn't control the soft moan that escaped my lips, my hand curling into a pillow from the sensations of his lips grazing across my pulsing vein until he gently nipped at my earlobe.

"You're cheating." I used my other had to swat at him again, only he caught my wrist, his fingers intertwining with mine.

I could just imagine that sweet smile of his as his kissed along my neck, over my shoulder, and down my arm. Goose bumps rose on my arms as suddenly I was pulled onto my back, Godric's legs on either side of my waist, trapping me.

"It's your birthday, my sweet." He mused, the backs of his fingers caressing my cheek.

My eyes fluttered open as I tried to glare up at him. Except I could barely make the vampire out at all. The room was pitch black. I could faintly pick out Godric's form, but otherwise, I was completely blind in the dark room.

"I can't see you." I pouted.

"But I can see you." He murmured, his lips lowering down to mine. Except those soft lips of his never met mine, not entirely. They ghosted over my bottom lip, causing me to shudder in need and desire. He trailed soft kisses over my jaw, my cheeks, my forehead, and even dipped his lips back down to my neck.

"This is so unfair." I wondered if Godric could feel my rapid heartbeat.

"It's your birthday, allow me to..." he trailed off, his tongue flicking out to lick at my sweet spot just over the pulsing vein. Another moan escaped my lips, my head turning on its own accord to give the vampire better access.

His hands dipped lower, to the hem of my loose t-shirt. His fingers danced across my bare stomach as they slowly slipped underneath the fabric. I shuddered at his cool touch, my back arching as his digits grew closer and closer to my breasts. I wasn't wearing a bra this time; there was nothing to hide my breasts from his touches.

"You are delectable." He whispered huskily into my ear as the backs of his fingers just lightly grazed over the bottom of one of my breasts.

"Oh god..." I couldn't even breathe as the shocks ran through me, the feel of his cool hands on my breasts nearly too pleasurable. I could only imagine how tonight would turn out, how I would react to this vampire touching me everywhere. "Godric...tonight..."

"Are you sure you can wait that long, my sweet?" he nipped at my ear again. "I can smell you. I can smell how sweet your arousal is. I desire you like I've never desired another human, another woman before in my long life."

"You are..." I raised my hands to rest them against his rock hard, and bare, chest. "So not making this easy."

"Am I supposed to?" he raised his head, and I could imagine that smirk on his face.

I chuckled and shook my head, propping myself up on my elbows. "I promised you after this party that Isabel insists on having that we'll...explore that..."

"Sex, my sweet. You can say the word, my little innocent seer."

I yelped in surprise when I felt his icy cold fingers graze over a single nipple, my eyes nearly rolling to the back of my head from the sensation.

"Godric..." I sounded out of breath. "Tonight."

"Of course, Taylor, my sweet, of course.' His lips ghosted over mine before suddenly, the feel of his body had left mine.

I sighed and laid back down on the bed, my head shaking as a wide smile grew on my lips. I had to admit, this was the most pleasant way to be awoken on my birthday. I could certainly get used to this.

"What time is it?" I called out to Godric, hearing him shuffle across the room before the room was showered in a dim light. My smile only seemed to grow when I spotted Godric strolling back over to the bed in nothing but a pair of grey linen pants.

"It's late afternoon." He replied, sitting down beside me on the bed.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" I raised an eyebrow as I forced myself up into a sitting position, immediately wrapping my arms around Godric's bare torso.

Godric smiled warmly down at me as he slid his own arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer. "I do not require as much sleep at my age. I was hoping to spend as much time as I possibly could with you today. However, it seems as if you're content to just sleep the day away."

"My birthday." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Do that again, and that sweet tongue of yours may no longer belong to you." He teased.

I rolled my eyes as I stuck my tongue back out at him, challenging him. I let out a squeak as he had on my back, a wide smirk crossing his face as he held my tongue between his fingers. I squirmed beneath him, but he held me down with a single hand, making it impossible to get away. Not that I wanted to as he dipped his lips down, letting my tongue go just quick enough for our lips to meet. He pushed passed my lips with his own tongue however, duelling mine for control. I moaned, my arms trailing up his arms and to his neck, pulling me closer. A low growl emitted from the back of his throat as he clutched onto my wrists and pinned them to the bed. He raised his lips from mine, a look of lust and hunger crossing those stunning blue eyes of his.

"We must stop or else I won't be able to control myself for much longer." He advised, his fangs peaking out.

"Am I turning you on, Godric?" I could feel his own growing arousal pressing against me.

"Oh you have absolutely no idea what you do to me, my sweet."

"I think I do." I grinded my hips upwards, his erection straining against the fabric of his pants. "Someone is excited..."

"As are you." He freed one of my wrists as his had dipped down to the crotch of my pyjama shorts. My eyes just about bugged out of my skull as his fingers lightly danced across my hot core, and if my shorts hadn't of been there, I could just imagine the result. "Ah yes, you are very excited."

"O-okay, time to stop." I laughed nervously as I squirmed underneath Godric, though that only managed to press his hand harder between my legs. "We really need to stop."

"As you wish." He swiped his hand upwards, causing my entire body to shudder in pleasure, before he leaned forward and caught my lips in a sweet kiss. It ended as quickly as it happened however, and soon he was standing beside the bed, a hand outstretched towards me. "Come, I'll draw you a bath."

"Hm, a bath huh? Will you join me?" I asked teasingly as I slid my hand into his.

"I would never deny a beautiful girl such a thing." Godric had me out of bed and standing beside him in only a flash. "But unfortunately, I must."

I pouted. "It's my birthday; I'm supposed to get what I want."

"I have a surprise awaiting you later this evening, and I must check on the progress." He brushed his lips against my forehead. "I will not be long."

"A surprise?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "What sort of surprise?"

"If I told you that, it would not be a surprise."

"I have to be honest; I'm not a big one for surprises." I cringed as I remembered the times my mother tried to 'surprise' me over the years. They were never pretty sights.

"I promise, you will enjoy this surprise." Godric assured.

"And If I don't?"

"i assure you, you will."

"You sound sure of yourself." I let the vampire lead me towards the bathroom attached to his bedroom.

"I am very sure of myself."

"Alright, well I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. Just as long as it makes this whole party thing shorter. I can't believe you let Isabel throw me a party. You hate associating with your underlings!" my nose scrunched up at the thought of vampires and human blood bags that I didn't even know attending a party of someone they've probably never even heard of.

"It will be easier to claim you as my own with all of my underlings to witness it." Godric explained as we entered the bathroom. "You do wish me to claim you, do you not?"

"Of course I do." I rolled my eyes. "Do I have to wear a dress?"

"Isabel has supplied you with an outfit that I believe will be suitable." He kissed my lips before reaching down to the tub, beginning to fill the porcelain tub large enough for multiple people with warm water.

"Great, another dress. You're turning me into a girl, Godric."

"You look remarkable in whatever it is that you're wearing." Godric glanced over his shoulder at me, his fingers trailing in the water. "But I must say that I enjoy staring at those magnificent legs of yours."

I blushed, my head bowing down at as I stared down at the legs Godric were referring too. "They're nothing special."

"They are, just as special as you are, my sweet." Godric straightened, motioning to the filled tub. "Enjoy my little seer. I'll return shortly, I promise."

I nodded as Godric moved towards the door. I stopped him however, pulling him back around so I could press my lips against his. I sighed in content as my tongue flicked out, tasting his bottom lip before I pulled myself away, controlling myself as best as I could. The lust and hunger had returned to those orbs, and I was amazed at Godric's self control. He looked like he wanted to rip my clothes off right there and take me. Of course, if he tried, I wasn't so sure I would be able to stop him. But he had managed to control himself long enough to stride out of the room, leaving me to my bath alone. I was grinning from ear to ear as I began stripping and slipped into the warm water. A moan escaped my lips as I slid into the tub, my body nearly melting as relaxation washed over me.

"Best. Birthday. Ever." I murmured to myself, my eyes closing as I leaned my head back and just let my muscles and joints enjoy themselves. I had a feeling I was going to need all the stamina I could muster once the festivities were over and done with tonight. The mere thought sent pleasurable sensations throughout my body. One thing was for sure, this was certainly the greatest birthday I've ever had in my life.

* * *

I couldn't wipe the grin from my face as I pulled the warm fluffy towel around my form. My hair hung in damp tangles over one shoulder as I ensured the towel was wrapped securely around me before leaving the confines of the bathroom. I hadn't seen or heard from Godric since he had left me to have my bath nearly an hour ago. I wasn't sure what was planned next, but I figured getting dressed would be a good start. I was pulled to a halt however, as the moment I stepped into the bedroom, Godric came walking back in. My eyes grew wide, only standing in his bedroom in a towel that barely reached mid thigh. Godric had barely noticed at first, closing the door behind him as he spoke on the phone in a language I couldn't understand. But after taking a few steps, Godric stopped short as his eyes fell on my legs, his gaze slowly moving upwards. Once our orbs met, Godric froze. My face was burning as I stood there nervously, one hand on the top of the towel and the other hand on the bottom, as if I could just expand the towel by doing do.

"I'll call you back." Godric spoke softly into the phone before hanging up and tossing the phone onto the bed.

We just stared at one another. I could see the desire in those electric blue eyes, I saw the struggle to control himself. I mean, here I was, naked with only a flimsy towel in the way.

"I...er...I was just..." I chewed on my bottom lip, nearly breaking through the skin when Godric suddenly flashed before me. I jumped, my eyes growing wide. I don't think I was ever going to get used to Godric doing that.

Godric raised a hand, toying with the ends of my hair, his gaze never leaving mine. His other hand however, drew up and down my side before finding the part in the towel and sliding through. I shuddered, nearly unable to keep myself up right as he drew even closer, our bodies touching as his cool hand was met with my bare flesh. My eyes closed, my forehead resting on his shoulder as his hand moved to my back, his fingers dancing over the few drops of water.

"Godric..." I whispered, barely even able to speak. My legs were shaking as his hand explored my back. The towel was beginning to become loose. I tried to hold onto the material as tight as I possibly could. Though part of me just wanted to drop the towel and allow Godric to take me right then and there. How had I gone from a sweet innocent farm girl to this person who just wanted to feel Godric's body against my own?

I was thankful when Godric was the one to take a step back, his hands falling to his sides. An ashamed look crossed his face as he turned away, like he was guilty for even looking at me in that way.

"My apologies, it's incredibly difficult to control myself around you." He walked to his bed, sitting down on the edge as he slowly drew his gaze back up to meet mine. "I know our agreement."

"I was about ready to just throw that all away." I admitted with a smile. I pulled the towel tighter around me as I walked over to where Godric sat. His arms rose, his hands meeting my waist as he pulled me in between his legs. My smile widened as I dipped my lips down to meet his. "It's very easy to want you."

"I've always had such control, or at least I have in the past century. But the moment I met you, everything I had worked so hard to control just seemed to crumble."

"Well I hope that's not a bad thing." I cupped his cheek.

"I will learn to control my urges. I would do it all for you, my little seer." He assured me before manoeuvring me back a few steps as he stood himself. "I had a meal prepared for you, to be sent to your room."

"You didn't need to do that."

"I did." He nodded. "Eric requires my assistance, and I fear he's already grown angry that I hung up on him once. I'll join you in your room when I can. For now, you can change and eat."

"I guess that's acceptable." I stole one last kiss before Godric reached for his phone. "Tell Eric that he's being a pain in my ass even from Louisiana."

"I'll be sure to let him know that." a warm smile spread across his lips as he nodded his head towards the door. "I'll join you soon my sweet."

I wanted to just stay there with Godric, steal sweet kisses all night long. But I could tell that Godric and Eric had business to conduct. I meant what I said, even from Louisiana, Eric was being a pain in the ass, fighting for his maker's attention. Even though we had come to some sort of understanding between us, both of us saving the other's life, I knew Eric wasn't going to be my biggest fan. I honestly didn't see him and I ever becoming the best of friends. But I knew that if we were ever in a room together, we wouldn't try to murder one another, at least not with Godric around to lecture us for acting like children.

Rolling my eyes, I shuffled across the room and to the door. I glanced over my shoulder, finding Godric's eyes locked on my backside, and my cheeks grew a bright red. He winked at me before speaking fluidly in another language and I chose that moment to slip into the hallway. I was thankful that my bedroom was only next door, or else I would have been worried about meeting someone in the hallway. I wasn't sure when Isabel and Stan would rise, and who knew what other humans were around. There always seemed to be someone. Either Stan would have a new blood bag hanging around, or Hugo would slip in and out of the house. He seemed nice enough, and I could tell that he truly did love Isabel in the same way that she cared about him, so I suppose that's all that mattered. He had commented the first time we officially met that he thought I was too young to be spending my time around a vampire like Godric. Nineteen or not, I didn't really see what the problem was. Maybe it was his appearance that made the fact that he was a two thousand year old vampire a little bit easier to handle. He looked my age; he looked like we could have been in the same graduating class. That was naive of me to think, as his appearance was deceiving, but it was the only easy way to rationalize it. I couldn't exactly make sense of how I felt. How could you explain why you loved someone?

I was surprised to find a makeshift table sitting at the end of my bed as I entered my room. I closed the door behind me as a moan escaped my lips. There was a gold platter lying on the table, with a pair of gold silverware sitting beside it. I peered down at the grilled chicken, and wondered for a moment who had cooked this. After a second, I barely even cared and dug in. I wasn't even sure I breathed as I ate; I was just shovelling the food into my mouth. I was glad that Godric wasn't here to witness this. This was embarrassing. But then again, it was my birthday; I was allowed to act however I pleased today, even if it meant acting like a complete pig.

Once the meal was finished I wiped at my mouth with the silk napkin before rising and glancing to where my outfit for the night had been hung up. I was even more surprised that I didn't entirely hate it, at least not completely. It was a dress, and I found I was wearing them too often when I was with Godric. But it was beautiful, I would admit that. It was a party dress, there was no doubt about that. It looked like I could have slipped it on and just start dancing. Not that I danced, or at least very well at all. But who knew what tonight could bring.

I pulled the light fabric off of the hanger and let my towel fall to the ground. I envisioned Godric walking in at that exact moment, and the heat rose in between my legs. I blushed and shook away the thoughts as I slipped the dress over my head. I tried to zip the back up, but I was only able to get it up halfway before I was met with the challenge of short arms. I attempted a few more times before realizing I was going to need Godric's help. Not wanting to bother him while he talked with Eric, though part of me, my inner five year old, told me that I should, I instead gazed at myself in the full length mirror in the room. The dress was black, the bodice tight while the bottom flared out to only my mid thigh. It was made of both silk and lace, and normally both would have felt out of place on my body, but the combination surprised me by being both comfortable and appealing. If my complexion had been pale, instead of the tanned colour it had gained over the years of working on my family's farm, I would have thought I was a vampire. Maybe that had been Isabel's idea, to let me blend in. She knew me too well. I hated being the centre of attention, and having a party dedicated to me was certainly throwing me into the face of everyone invited.

I was still unsure if that was safe or not, especially after what happened the last time I had been to one of Godric's get-togethers. But I knew things would be different this time around. I doubt Godric would let me out of his sight, and he would truly claim me. No vampire would think to attack me once I was officially claimed, or at least that's what Eric had told me before he left.

"You look absolutely stunning."

I hadn't heard Godric enter the room, but the moment I caught his gaze in the mirror, I couldn't help but grin at the vampire.

"Do you mind..." I motioned to the zipper. "I don't know why they insist on making dresses impossible to do up without help."

"It's so worthy men have the opportunity to assist those we find desirable." Godric answered, appearing behind me in a flash.

I shuddered as I felt his cool fingers dancing across my shoulder blades and down to where the zipper was waiting. Our gazes remained connected as he slowly drew the zipper up, drawing the moment out almost in a teasing manner. Once the top was clasped, Godric brushed his lips across my neck and took a step back. I inhaled sharply, trying to regain my composure before I turned and got a good look at Godric. He was wearing the same linen pants as he always wore, a light beige. But it was the shirt that caused my mouth to water. For the first time since I've known him, he was actually wearing a colour. It wasn't just the usual white, beige, or grey that he wore. He didn't even wear the customary vampire attire consisting of all black like Eric did. But today, for me, he had dressed unusual for himself, wearing a striking blue button up shirt that matched his eyes perfectly. He looked even paler against the bright fabric, his eyes popping more than usual. The shirt itself was buttoned up except for the top three buttons, part of his chest and tattoo on display. The sleeves had been rolled up past his elbows, relaxing the dressed up look. The shirt flowed freely, and yet I could still see his abdomen clinging to the fabric. It was drool worthy, that was the only way to describe his appearance tonight.

"Is something the matter?" he tilted his head to the side.

"No no no." I shook my head, running a hand through my damp hair. "You just...you look very handsome, Godric."

"And you look gorgeous. Not a single vampire or human will be able to take their eyes off of you tonight." his hand slid up my bare arm, over my shoulder, across the curve of my neck, and came to cup my cheek. "I'm not certain if that'll be acceptable, for all of those men to be staring at _my_ delectable seer."

I shuddered as he called me his. Equal rights or not, the idea of being Godric's excited me.

"I think I'll be in a few cat fights to win your affection tonight. All the girls will be all over you." I returned the compliment.

"You will never need to fight for my affection, Taylor; I freely give it to you with all of my heart." He drew so close, our noses brushed against one another.

"Good to know." I could only whisper, my eyes fluttering close as his lips ghosted over mine. "Just as long as you claim me tonight, that's all I care about."

"And I shall my sweet, desirable seer. By the night's end, you will be mine, and only mine. No other soul shall look at you or touch you in any way. Your body, mind and soul will be mine." He whispered huskily into my ear, a chill running up my spine. "Are you certain that's what you desire?"

"Uh huh." His hands held onto me by the elbows, as if he wasn't sure if he wanted to pull me closer or push me away. I wasn't so sure of what I wanted either.

"I cannot wait to taste this sweet body of yours, to have you completely." He chose to pull me closer, and I didn't fight him. My body began to shake ever so slightly from the sheer intensity of pleasure that was flowing between us at our mere touches. I couldn't even imagine what would happen tonight, when we made love for the first time. That thought almost scared me. Would the pleasure be too much for a mere mortal to handle? "I can smell that you feel the same..."

"I'm sorry to interrupt." A voice sounded at my bedroom door, interrupting the moment.

My eyes flew open, my cheeks growing red as a low growl emitted from the back of Godric's throat at the interruption. He pulled us apart however, and we both turned to find Isabel standing by the door, a knowing look on her face.

"Happy Birthday, Taylor." Isabel smiled warmly at me.

"Thanks Isabel, and the dress is beautiful." I pressed my hands against the soft fabric.

"I thought you might like it. You look just as beautiful at the dress, even more so."

"Is there something you need Isabel?" Godric really hadn't liked that we had been interrupted. It made me giggle, both vampires sending me confused looks. I just smiled sweetly and walked over to the pair of heels that sat underneath the now empty hanger.

"I apologize, Sheriff." I spied Isabel bowing to Godric as she walked further into the room. They spoke in low tones while I peeked at the time, surprised to find that time had passed quicker than I had thought it had. It was now just before sunset, the vampires in the house now beginning to roam about.

"I want everyone to be aware this evening, Isabel. I will not allow..." Godric trailed off, his voice rising just loud enough so I could glance at them curiously. He turned his gaze towards me and I quickly looked back down at the shoes. I felt his eyes on me as I slipped my feet into the bright blue shoes that I realized matched Godric's shirt.

"I understand, Sheriff. He will not enter the premises, I assure you." Isabel vowed.

"Thank you Isabel."

I risked another glance at the two and found Isabel leaving the room. Once she was gone, I caught the look of concern on Godric's face as I frowned.

"What's wrong?" I asked him as I slowly made my way towards him. I cursed under my breath as I stumbled the first time, not used to wearing heels. It would take a bit to get used to them, and by then my feet would be aching. Well this was my party, and if by the time the guests arrived my feet ached, well I would just walk around without any shoes on.

"Nothing, Taylor, everything is fine." He assured me, though I could tell he was lying.

"Godric, no more secrets." I reminded him, planting my hands on my hips. "What's wrong? Something is wrong, or else that look wouldn't be on your face."

"Everything is fine."

"I don't believe that for a second." My heart was starting to race, hoping that whatever it is, it wouldn't ruin the night. This was the first birthday I could remember being this happy. Usually my mother would try and ruin it in one of her ways that my father always insisted was just good intentions. Godric was showering me like a princess, and I surprisingly liked it. I just didn't want that to change because something was wrong. "What is it, Godric? Just tell me, it's my birthday, you can't keep secrets from the birthday girl."

Godric sighed, bowing his head and unable to meet my gaze any longer. "Isabel has received word that a visitor may be arriving tonight."

"Okay..." I raised an eyebrow, not seeing the problem. "And?"

"The visitor is a member of the King of Texas's court." Godric explained vaguely.

I still didn't see the significance. "Godric just spit it out already."

"That visitor is the very same vampire that attacked you." Godric's gaze finally met mine, and I saw the fear and worry in those gorgeous orbs. "Damien is set to arrive tonight."

My heart just about stopped. I never thought I would ever have to face that vampire ever again. Godric had promised that he was gone, that he was banned from his area. And I believed him, because I knew Godric wouldn't let anything happen to me, not intentionally. But now this vampire, Damien, was returning, and I felt my entire body go numb with fear.

"W-why?" I asked just above a whisper, surprised that I was even able to form a word.

"He's tasted your blood, Taylor. He's coming here tonight to try and claim you."


	24. Chapter Twenty Three

**Chapter Twenty Three:**

I clutched my hands together so tightly, my knuckles started to turn white. My eyes were squeezed shut as I tried to concentrate, as I tried to focus. I thought long and hard, trying to clear my thoughts as I had done the last few times I had forced a vision. I inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly, but no matter how long I sat there on my bed, I just couldn't bring on a vision. It was frustrating. All I wanted was to see what would happen tonight. I just wanted to know what would happen once Damien was here. Would he claim me? Would Godric be able to claim me firs? Would there be bloodshed? There was just so much I wanted to know, but not enough time to think on those answers. The sun had set hours ago and the guests would begin arriving at any moment. I stayed in my bedroom as Godric spoke with his lieutenants, coming up with a plan to keep everyone safe. I felt safer staying in my room, though I knew at any time Damien could come crashing into the room and claim me. I just prayed to god that didn't happen. Because if Damien did claim me, I knew my life would be over. And I knew it wouldn't be sudden. He would drain me slowly and painfully until there's not another drop of blood left to feed his desire. And that scared the hell out of me.

"Damn it!" I dug my nails into my hands, breaking through the skin and drawing blood. I cursed under my breath as tears began forming in my eyes.

"Taylor?" Godric's voice met my ears as he entered the room. He was knelt before me in a flash, his hands nursing mine in his with a look of concern on his face. "Are you alright?"

"I'm scared, Godric." I bowed my head. "I know I should be strong, but I can't help it. What if..."

"He won't." Godric hooked a finger under my chin and forced my gaze to meet his. "I won't let him claim you. I won't let him have you. You're mine, my sweet seer, and that won't ever change."

"But..."

"I promise to protect you with my life." He caressed my cheek before his fangs extended with a click. I watched as he sliced his own tongue open before gently licking at the small wounds on my hands. Despite the situation we were in, I felt my cheeks begin to burn a bright red at the feel of his tongue licking away the blood and healing me. My heart skipped a beat from the intimate action and I just couldn't imagine being with anyone else. I loved Godric, I knew that for certain. I didn't want to let anything pull me away from this vampire.

"Why can't you just claim me now?" I asked in a soft voice.

Godric sighed as his fangs retraced and my hands healed. He kissed both softly before moving to sit on the bed side me. I shifted closer to the vampire, laying my head on his shoulder as his arm circled around my waist.

"If I did so now, Damien would appeal to the King of Texas, or worse, the Magister, and would claim we were lying."

"Can't Isabel and Stan confirm that you claimed me?"

"They'll only think they were lying because they were my lieutenants." Godric shook his head sadly. "If there was a way to claim you now and keep you safe, I would do it in a heartbeat, Taylor, you must know that I would."

"I know." I sighed heavily. "I'm just...I'm scared, Godric. Why can't I see what's going to happen? Why can't I just see it?"

"You're shown what fate decides to show you. There's no science to it. But every vision is just as important as the last."

"Knowing that my science teacher is going to trip isn't exactly important, Godric." I pointed out. "My visions have hardly ever shown me something important, not until I started having visions of you. Maybe if I had worked harder then..."

"I know from my experience with Serena that these visions, while you may try to force them, they won't come unless it's meant to." Godric began stroking my long locks. "After tonight, we'll work on them, Taylor. I promise you that. I don't like it, but I understand that you need to know how to control these powers of yours. But tonight, we need to focus on keeping you safe."

I nodded and sighed again. "Do you really think everything will turn out alright?"

"No." Godric surprised me by being completely honest. "I promised not to lie to you, and if I told you everything was going to be fine, that would be a lie. Tonight will be difficult, but I do promise you that I won't let him hurt you. You're mine, my love, and I refuse to lose you."

"Thank you." I wrapped my arms tightly around his torso.

"I've brought you pain and thrust you into dangerous situations, Taylor. You shouldn't thank me." Godric just sounded so sad as he said this.

"Don't do that, Godric." I shook my head and looked up at him. "You know that I don't think of you as some monster, so you need to damn well stop thinking that way."

"It's what I am, Taylor."

"It's who you used to be."

"We're all monsters, some of us are just good at hiding it." an unexpected, but unfortunately familiar voice came wafting into the room.

My eyebrows shot upward as I pulled away from Godric in just enough time to find Eric leaning against the bedroom doorway.

"What are you doing here?" I questioned in confusion, glancing between the two vampires. Eric had only left a few days ago, so why was he already back? And why did I feel a bit relieved to see this asshole? He hated me. Maybe hate was a strong word, after what happened between the two of us recently, but I still wasn't exactly someone he wanted in his maker's life. But I still felt relieved that he was here, because he wouldn't just let another vampire come around and steal what was his maker's, right? Then again, it would be the perfect way to rid their lives of me, and Eric would be happy about that.

"I asked him to come." Godric explained. "Thank you for coming quickly, my child."

Eric nodded as he gazed between Godric and me before his stare fell completely on me. "Stop _feeling_ so loudly."

"Why exactly did you ask him to come?" I rolled my eyes and turned towards Godric. "He hates me, Godric."

"He doesn't hate you, Taylor, he just doesn't understand you." He assured me.

"No I'm pretty sure he hates me. Even though I did save his life and all." I shot at the blonde vampire.

"I saved yours as well. You shouldn't be so quick to judge." Eric slipped his hands into his pockets with that smug look on his face.

"You're one to talk."

"Please, tonight isn't the night for this." Godric sighed. "We have other things to focus on."

I knew Godric was right. Eric and I may have a strained relationship, and we may never be best friends and be on the same page, but tonight was bigger than our arguing. There was a psychotic vampire on the loose hell bent on claiming me. We couldn't let that happen, because I didn't want to die. Not like that. I would rather the fellowship of the sun kill me than Damien. Because I know I could at least fight back against the fellowship, but I was powerless against a vampire. I had been the first time he had attacked me, and I knew I would be this time too.

"Godric is right." Eric pushed himself away from the doorframe and stepped into the room. "We have bigger problems. When is Damien due to arrive, and can I kill him?"

"Normally I would say no." A look I had never seen before crossed Godric's face. And in that split second, I almost felt afraid of this vampire beside me. Because he looked murderous. He looked like he wanted to find Damien and rip him apart, limb by limb. "But tonight, tonight all I want is Taylor's safety, and I fear we will only get that by sentencing Damien to the true death."

"Excellent." Eric's smirk grew wide across his face.

"When will Damien show up?" I asked curiously, wondering when we could expect the night to go to hell.

"He likes making an entrance. I wouldn't expect him to come until the other guests have already arrived." Godric explained.

"They've already begun to arrive." Isabel entered the conversation, nodding respectively at the two vampires and sending me a sympathetic smile.

Eric looked giddy, like he was excited for a fight. Godric looked uncertain and that worried me. He was over two thousand years old. When he was concerned, I knew it was time to panic.

"Perhaps if I can speak with the King, he'll be able to stop Damien before he arrives." Godric thought out loud.

"Do you honestly think Roberto will do a damn thing?" Eric snorted. "He's as useless as Sophie-Anne is."

"It's worth a short." Isabel shot Eric a glare. "It can't hurt to try. Damien is his little plaything, he's his progeny. If the King was to command it..."

"And how do you know it isn't that idiot who ordered Damien here." Eric pointed out. "She's valuable. They may not know what she is, but her blood is different. It's sweeter and even I knew she was different the moment I smelt her."

"And she can hear you speaking about her." My lips pursed together.

Eric ignored me however. "We can't trust anyone right now, Godric. You taught me that. Trust no one."

"I know what I've taught you, Eric." Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "But I can't just sit here and wait."

"I've sent out some of our vampires in search of Damien. They've been instructed to contain him and inform us immediately." Isabel informed.

"Thank you underling."

"Of course Sheriff." Isabel nodded. "But until we can hear word, I think it would be best if you called the King."

"It'll be useless." Eric shook his head in, sighing in agitation. "Godric..."

"I've made up my mind." Godric stood, his arm falling from around me and to his side. "I'll speak with him. As Isabel said, it can't hurt the situation."

"It won't do any good."

"I'll take that risk." Godric turned, his hand rising up to cup my cheek. "I won't let anything happen to you. I nearly lost you not too long ago. I can't nearly lose you again."

"You won't." I told him, though I wasn't sure who I was trying to reassure more, him or me.

"I won't be long." He dipped down, his lips brushing across mine. I let out a soft moan, wishing I could keep him at my side all night, knowing only with him would I feel 100% safe. But if there was even a sliver of a chance Godric would be able to stop this before anything even happened, then I wanted Godric to do whatever he could. "I'll have Isabel or Stan stay close."

"I'll stay." Eric surprised all of us by offering.

I raised an eyebrow while a gasp emitted from Isabel's lips in surprise. Godric turned slowly to gaze at his child, and I caught the look of surprise on his own face.

"I'll stay with her." Eric glared at us all. "Is it so hard to believe that I could do something _nice_?"

"I didn't think you knew what that word meant." I muttered.

"Are you sure, my child? Isabel can do so..."

"She's your human, whether you've claimed her or not. And I may not like her, but she's yours. And if I have to protect the little brat to keep you happy, then I will." I was even more surprised by his explanation. He wouldn't look anyone but Godric in the eye, showing his loyalty. If nothing else, Eric was loyal. He may have been an ass, but he was a loyal ass. And I respected that. He didn't like me, but I made his maker happy, and that meant enough to him to protect me.

"Thank you." Godric nodded at Eric.

Eric just simply nodded in return. I reached out to Godric, slipping my hand in his. He glanced down at me and I offered him a strained smile before squeezing his hand.

"Go give the King hell for letting loose his psychotic vampire. I'll be fine."

Godric nodded and kissed my forehead before beginning towards the door. Isabel stepped to the side, letting him pass, before following closely behind. Godric stopped just at the door and glanced back at Eric, the two sharing silent words. Whatever they were silently communicating, it pleased Godric because hope passed through those brilliant coloured eyes and he left.

When I realized Eric and I were now alone, I started to fidget nervously. I wasn't in the right state of mind to deal with Eric right now, but I did appreciate the fact that he was willing to protect me even though I wasn't his favourite person in the world. But then again, I had saved his life not that long ago. I had thrown my body in front of his and took the deathly bullets when I could have easily just have let him die. But I could never hate someone that much. I didn't even hate Eric, not really. I hated that he hated me. I hated that he wouldn't accept that Godric and I were together, that we had a connection that he couldn't ruin. But I didn't hate him; I didn't want him to die. Because I knew just how destroyed Godric would be if that ever happened. So I saved his life that night. Maybe this was his way to repay that favour.

Then again, Eric wasn't the type to owe anyone, so maybe he had his own reasons for doing this.

"Why are you even here?" I wondered after a few minutes of awkward silence passing over us. "You hate me."

Eric stared down at me for the longest time before responding. "I don't hate you."

"Yes you do." I rolled my eyes. "You've hated me since day one."

He shook his head as he moved around the room, taking everything in. He had been in my room before though; nothing had changed in the last few days. I suspected he just didn't want to have to look at me. "I don't hate you. I hate the idea of you, but I don't hate you specifically."

I tilted my head to the side, watching as he crossed the room. "You hate that Godric and I love each other."

"I'm still not sold on the idea that he...loves you." He looked disgusted at the whole idea of love. Hadn't he ever met someone who he just felt that heart stopping feeling for? He's been alive for a thousand years, that's a long time not to feel some type of love. "Godric doesn't feel such human emotions."

"Maybe he didn't once, but he does now."

"You don't know him at all."

I sighed, shaking my head. "Are we going to have this conversation over and over again, Eric? I get it; you don't like it at all. But I'm not about to leave."

"You could." He muttered but I heard him just fine.

"If you want Damien to claim me, then you might as well leave so he'll have an easier time." I crossed my arms over my chest. "But you and I both know that would hurt Godric. I risked my life so your death wouldn't hurt him. Why don't you do something for someone other than yourself for once."

He turned on me, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "I saved your life."

"I saved yours too." I snapped back, starting to lose my patience for him. I was tired of having this exact same conversation over and over again. He was like a bratty child who didn't want his parent to date. Well Godric was a grown ass vampire who was twice his age, if he wanted to be with someone, Eric needed to just back off.

Eric gritted his teeth as he looked away. He looked like he wanted to throw something across the room, his hands twitching, but he was able to control the urge. His hands curled into fists at his sides as he stood in the middle of the room, his eyes closing as he breathed in deeply. He didn't need to breathe, but maybe even Eric had an old human habit of his still.

"So are you just here to watch Damien claim me, or are you actually here because you care enough about Godric to keep me safe?" I questioned, though I wasn't expecting an answer at all.

I was surprised when his eyes opened, his gaze meeting mine, and he answered me. "He's my maker and you...you make him happy."

"And..." I prompted.

"And I...I owe you." He seemed more disgusted over the fact that he owed me than the concept of love. "I don't like it, I don't like the idea of you, but you're Godric's and I...I will do whatever I must to keep him happy."

"You don't really owe me, Eric." I pointed out. "You saved my life that night too. In my eyes, we're even."

"But your sacrifice was selfless. You risked your life. I wasn't harmed giving you a few drops of blood. You gave your life for me. I owe you." He didn't seem happy about it at all, but he was loyal to Godric. And he respected me, at least enough, to think that he had to owe me for saving his life.

"Well then...thank you I guess." I wasn't sure what to say to that at all.

"Whatever." Eric grumbled, his expression hardening. "Just don't do anything stupid tonight."

"But then you wouldn't be able to save my life." I flashed him a smirk.

He just rolled his eyes and settled into one of the chairs in the room. "I should just let you die."

"You had your chance."

* * *

An hour of silence passed since Eric and I were left alone, and it was starting to become nerve racking. Not because Eric was making me nervous, but because the longer we sat in here, the more I thought about Damien and what would happen once he arrived. I had hoped that Godric would be back by now with good news, but I knew it couldn't have gone well with the King if he was still at it an hour later. Maybe Eric was right, maybe the King was in on this. Maybe Damien had told him how desirable my blood was and they both figured they wanted me. So he sent Damien to collect me. It was disgusting to think that someone in power would do such a thing, but even human politics wasn't squeaky clean. Vampires were even worse for playing dirty. I just hoped he knew that he was pissing off a two thousand year old vampire, and in turn, his progeny who was only half his age.

"This is ridiculous." Eric grumbled as he unfolded himself out of the chair and stood. I hadn't realized how endless his legs were until I watched the vampire stand. He really was a tall Nordic God, wasn't he? I didn't deny the fact that he was handsome. Hell, he was gorgeous. But he was no Godric in my eyes. Godric had the entire package. He was handsome, kind, caring, and fiercely protective. And right now, the latter mattered the most to me. "I need out of this room."

"Whoa whoa whoa!" I scrambled off of the bed where I had laid down and shot across the room before he could reach the door. I plastered my back against the wood and stared up at him with wide eyes. "You're supposed to stay with me in case Damien shows up."

"If I stay in this room for one minute longer I will start tearing it apart." Eric threatened. "Move, teacup."

"No." I stood my ground defiantly.

"You do know that I can pick you up and you'll weight no more than a feather to me, right?" He rolled his eyes.

"Well I don't care." I shook my head. "You can't leave."

"You're a big girl; you can keep yourself out of trouble for five minutes."

"Considering my history these last few months, I'm going to say that won't happen. I'm a magnet for trouble."

"Taylor, move."

"No."

"I said move." He narrowed his eyes.

"And I said no."

"Enough of this." He grabbed me by the shoulders and pulled me roughly away from the door and yanked it open.

"You promised Godric!" I reminded him before he could flash away. "You owe me, Eric. You owe me, remember."

Eric tensed in the doorway, and was probably cursing himself for not taking the out I had given him earlier. He didn't have to owe me, but in his eyes, he saw that he did. Well he dug his grave, now he had to lie in it.

"Don't leave me...please." I added softly. "I...I don't want to be alone. What if he...what if he just shows up? I don't want to be alone."

He slowly turned his head to glance over his shoulder at me. Those vibrant blue eyes of his stared at me with such intensity that I had to look away, my hands fidgeting in front of me.

"Get over here." He mumbled unhappily, holding out a hand to me. I raised an eyebrow, not sure what he meant. "I can't stay in this room, and if I can't leave you alone then you're just going to have to come with me."

"But what if..." My eyes grew wide in fear.

"I gave you and Godric my word." Eric sighed, outstretching his hand even further. "But the offer won't last all night, teacup."

"Don't call me that." I shot at him, but surprised myself and Eric I think by stepping forward and slipping my hand into his. It was warmer than I was expecting, and folded over my small hand easily. His grasp was tight as he tugged me out of the room only to stop in the hallway as if he was thinking of where to go. He looked from one side to the other before silently deciding on a destination. I let him pull me down the hallway, my eyes darting from side to side. The sound of laughter and chatter came wafting through the halls as we grew closer to the party. The majority of these vampires and their blood bags didn't even know why they had come here tonight, that it was my birthday. They were told there would be a party at the Sheriff's house and they just couldn't pass up the opportunity to get in good with the boss, so they showed up. In one way, it was a good thing, because that meant a lot of people around to witness my potential murder. But in another way, maybe Damien wouldn't be planning to show up tonight if there wasn't a party.

"Stay close." Eric tugged me closer to his side as we entered the large living room. His lips tightened into a smile as we moved through the many people. I spotted Stan off to one side, his cowboy hat on his head as he chatted with a short brunette human. He was licking his lips, hunger in his eyes, and I knew he cared more about selecting his meal for the night than keeping me safe.

Eric led us to the white couch in the center of the room and shot dark looks at those that occupied the seats. They scattered away, not wanting to piss off the Sheriff's progeny.

"Sit." He pushed me down onto the couch and looked like he was going to sit beside me when suddenly the crashing sound of the front door met our ears. Eric's head snapped to the side, his hand tightening on my shoulder.

"Eric?" I looked up at him in concern. "What's..."

I didn't need to have him answer me however, as an unwelcome face appeared in the room.

"Hello love, it's been too long." Damien stood there, clad in leather with his dark hair slicked back. His fangs were extended and he already had blood staining his lips and I wondered who he had bitten already tonight. But that wasn't what I was focusing on, not at all. "Since you're all here. I..."

"Run." Eric interrupted Damien, pulling me back up onto my feet and nudging me towards the other end of the room.

"What?" My eyes grew wide, the blood draining from my face.

"I said run!" Eric pushed me this time just as Damien surged forward to attack. Eric threw himself in front of the other vampire, the room falling silent as the two came crashing down onto the couch, the piece of furniture flipping onto its back as the two violently fought.

I didn't hesitate as I twisted around and ran. I shot towards the door leading into the adjoined lounge. There were screams sounding from behind me but I tried to ignore them as I shot through the house. I needed to find Godric. I needed to find him _right now_.

I didn't get very far however, before I felt my entire body hit into the wall. I let out a small scream as I was twisted around to face Damien in the flesh.

"Well now why are you running from me?" He ran his finger along my cheek. "You're going to be mine soon."

"Over my dead body." Eric growled from behind Damien, grabbing the vampire and shoving him so hard into the opposite wall, a dent appeared in the painted drywall. I noticed there was blood on the blonde, but I couldn't find an open wound. He was a vampire after all, he could heal quickly. "Go, now!"

I nodded and shot off back down the hallway. I could hear the vampires fighting behind me and I couldn't help but look back over my shoulder. I wasn't sure how old Damien was compared to Eric, but they looked nearly evenly matched in strength. And that wasn't good at all.

"You can't run from me forever, love." Damien's voice sounded from behind me and I started to pick up speed. I felt his fingertips grazing my back and I made a sudden turn into the kitchen.

Eric was able to knock into him long enough for me to dart towards the back door and slide it open, shooting right out of the house and into the backyard. I couldn't get far before something hard hit me from behind and I crumbled to the ground with a whimper of pain. I was forced onto my back and I stared up in horror at Damien. More blood dripped from his mouth and fell onto me. I tried squirming away in disgust, but his fingers dug into my upper arms with so much force, I thought he was just going to tear them right off. I tried to scream out for help in hope that Godric would hear. He must have heard the commotion. He must have felt my fear and panic. Where was he?

But it didn't matter, because in mere split seconds, Damien had my head pulled to the side and his fangs sinking deep into my neck. I did scream then, the scream piercing through the dead of night. Tears were slipping down my cheeks as Damien dug his fangs deeper into my neck. It hurt. It hurt worse than the last time he had bit me. It almost made me never want to be bitten again, but I knew Godric would never hurt me, not like this, not ever. It was painful. It was one of the most excruciating moments of my life. Only being shot by those two wooden bullets had been more painful, but at least I thought I was dying then. I knew that wouldn't be the case here, at least not tonight. He wouldn't go to all this trouble to just kill me in one go. He would make my blood last, I knew that much.

Black dots began to invade my vision and my struggling body began to fall limp after a few moments of Damien's ferocious feeding. My eyes were fluttering and I fought to stay awake, wanting to know the moment that Damien stopped, that he claimed me and my life came crumbling down around me. And finally, after what felt like forever, Damien did stop. His fangs slowly slid from my pulsing vein, the blood pouring out of the messy wound. He licked a few times at the trailing blood before raising his gaze to meet mine.

"You're..."

But he never got the chance to finish before he was suddenly yanked off of me by a very angry blonde vampire. I had just enough strength to prop myself up on my elbows and watch as Eric threw Damien right into Godric's awaiting hands, the ancient vampire wrapping his hands tightly around Damien's neck.

"She's mine." Godric growled dangerously low before twisting Damien's head until it just snapped right off.

My mouth gaped open, but no sound exited, unlike the many gasps and screams around us. The blood though, the blood sprayed everywhere. It rained down on Godric, Eric and I, and even caught some of those circling around the scene. The blood didn't seem to faze either Godric or Eric however, as the older of the two turned to the others, wiping the blood from his eyes.

"Go home. Now." Godric ordered, and within only seconds both vampires and humans scrambled to leave the property.

Eric meanwhile, knelt down beside me, pushing his shoulder length blonde hair stained with blood out of his eyes. That smirk was on his face as he propped me up against his leg. "We're even now."

"We're very very even." I nodded in agreement, though it felt like everything around me was spinning. I was alive though, the man – vampire – I loved had killed the monster that had nearly destroyed my entire life. And at the moment, that's all that mattered.

* * *

**A/N: **I'm super sorry about not updating in awhile. I just had absolutely no inspiration to write this chapter. and then suddenly last night, I got hit with some and I started to write. I hope this chapter makes up for the lack of updates lately, and I promise to try not to take so long between chapters next time.


	25. Chapter Twenty Four

**Chapter Twenty Four:**

"Are you alright?" Godric knelt beside me, his hand gently grasping my chin as he turned my head to the side. "He hurt you. I'll kill him."

"Ah Godric? You already have." I couldn't help but chuckle lightly, only to moan out in pain as my head began spinning. I felt light headed from the blood loss. He had messily bitten me, and I didn't even want to attempt to see or feel the wound, knowing that it wasn't just two neat little fang marks.

Godric glared darkly at the pool of blood and guts that lay on the grass only a few feet away. We were all covered in Damien's blood, though I wasn't sure where his blood started and where mine stopped.

"What will happen now?" I asked in a small voice. "Will you...will you get in trouble for killing him?"

Godric and Eric exchanged glances and that worried me. They seemed to be communicating silently, and while it annoyed me, I didn't let it bother me. I was losing blood at a quick enough rate that I was growing more tired with each passing second. And I knew that wasn't good. It wasn't until my body began to grow limp against Eric's leg that the two noticed just how much blood I really had lost.

"You need to heal her." Eric told Godric. "She's losing too much blood."

Godric nodded and gently pulled me into his arms. My head fell limply against his chest and I fought to stay conscious.

"We need to contact the King. If the Authority or the Magister were to find out..." Godric trailed off as he stroked my hair, trying to soothe me.

"Allow me to...persuade him against going to the Authority." A wicked smirk spread across Eric's lips.

"Eric..."

"He let loose a vampire to attack the human of one of his Sheriff, a Sheriff who is more than twice his face. If anyone were to find themselves in front of the Magister, it would be him." Eric assured his maker as he stood gracefully for someone who was drenched in blood. "Heal her, Godric."

Godric nodded as Eric walked back into the house, leaving us alone in the blood mess that was once a backyard. I heard Godric biting into his wrist but I felt my consciousness begin to slip away. His bloody wrist was pressed against my lips, but I just had no strength to try and drink his blood.

"Come on, my love, drink for me. Please do this. I can't lose you. Please." He pleaded with me, trying to open my mouth and force the drops of blood down my throat. He tipped my head back as the drops of blood slid down my throat and it was only after a few drops that I was able to hold my own head up. Soon, I began to feel the pain lessen, the tug at my consciousness fading. I was able to suck on his wrist on my own now, holding his wrist to my lips as if his blood was the most delicious thing I've ever had. And in a way, it was. It was just so sweet, nothing like I thought blood would taste like. But vampire blood was much different than regular old human blood. Human blood couldn't magically stitch my neck back together again, the skin becoming smooth and flawless once again. There was only one vampire who I wanted to mark me and shown to the world, and that was this vampire holding me.

Godric sighed in relief when I pushed his wrist away. He brushed my hair off of my shoulder and stared at my neck, now healed, but still stained with my blood. I stared up at him and I could see him battling with the blood lust. I knew my blood wasn't easy to be around without tasting. I knew just how hard it was for him to battle his inner demons. I knew he wasn't a monster, but he still saw himself as one and that broke my heart.

"You can lick the blood off, if you want." I offered softly, not sure how he would react.

Godric was hesitant at first but then shook his head. "If I taste this sweet blood of yours, I'm afraid I won't be able to stop."

"You will, Godric. I know you will." I sent him a small smile, my arms wrapping around the vampire. I sighed and melted into his arms. I always felt safe and comforted when I was with Godric. I just wished he was able to be himself around me. He may not be a monster, but he was still a vampire. He still required blood to survive and I knew he hardly drank True Blood. So how was he getting by? "You need blood at some point Godric."

"True Blood is efficient enough."

"But you hardly even drink that." I pointed out. "You won't lose yourself, Godric, I know you won't. And do you know why I know that? Because I love you, and a part of me thinks that you love me too. You think you're a monster, Godric, but you're not, you're not even close. So stop treating yourself like one."

"If you knew what I've done in the past, you wouldn't be so quick to assume I'm not a monster."

"You've changed, Godric. Everyone is allowed to change."

Godric fell silent, his arms becoming stiff around me. I frowned as I pulled myself out of his arms and he drew himself away from me. He stood, leaving me on the ground as he glanced at the mess in the backyard. He looked disgusted, but I knew it was more at himself than anything. He hated the fact that he had to create such bloodshed. But I didn't blame him. How could I? He had saved my life tonight; didn't that matter at all to him? But I knew that wasn't it. He just hated himself. He hated what he was; he hated what he still is. And that just tore my heart to pieces.

"I don't want to fight. Not tonight." I tried to blink away the tears. "It's still my birthday and..."

"This wasn't how I planned tonight to go." Godric sighed, bowing his head.

"I know." I pushed myself up onto my feet. I wobbled on my legs for a moment, but Godric grabbed onto my elbows and steadied me. He went to pull his hands back away after a minute, but I drew closer to the vampire, laying my head on his chest and I embraced him. I didn't want him to pull away from me, not any more. "I just want to have a good birthday, or at least what we can salvage. Please Godric?"

"I owe you at least this." He nodded, his arms tightening around me as he laid a soft kiss to the top of my head. "I'm sorry for all that's happened tonight. I should have..."

"There wasn't anything you could have done differently, Godric." I shook my head.

"If I was at your side instead of..."

"Eric was there. He fought his ass off. I don't entirely understand why, but he did protect me, Godric. Maybe he isn't the immature ass I first thought he was." I tried to lighten the mood.

"He felt like he owed you for sacrificing yourself for him. He doesn't understand why you would do that." Godric tried to explain.

"I've told him why I did it." I rolled my eyes. "Eric is stubborn."

"You and I both know that." Godric chuckled softly. "I still have a surprise for you."

"You do?" I looked up at him, my eyes brightening. "What is it?"

"Why don't we get cleaned up first?" Godric looked down at how blood stained we were. "And you and I will spend the rest of this night together, just the two of us."

"I'd like that." I nodded with a genuine smile. "And I'll do anything to get all this blood off of me."

* * *

It was only half an hour later that I was stepping out of the long warm shower that Godric insisted on. I would have been happy with just a quick ten minute shower, but Godric wanted everything to be perfect, and I couldn't help but want the same. This day had started so perfectly and had nearly ended in disaster. But there were still a few hours in this night, still a few hours to salvage what we could of this birthday. And I didn't forget my promise for the end of the night. I still wanted to sleep with Godric. I wanted to give myself over to him. He had claimed me tonight in front of all of his vampires. And now I wanted to be his in every single way. I had been waiting for this for too long, and now the moment was finally here.

I couldn't wipe the grin from my face as I left the bathroom and entered my bedroom. I searched through my drawers until I found the perfect bra and panties set for tonight. I wanted everything to be perfect and special when Godric and I slept together, and that meant the perfect midnight black lingerie.

I had no idea what to wear over the lingerie however. My beautiful dress had been destroyed, and I doubt even dry cleaning would be able to get the blood out. I looked through my closet, but I only had the other dress Godric had splurged to buy me. It didn't feel right though. I wanted to wear something special, something sexy to blow his mind. The other dress was beautiful, but it just wasn't what I wanted to wear tonight.

As if hearing my silent plea for help, a knock sounded on the door, Isabel's voice wafting through the wood. "May I come in? I thought you might like something to wear for Godric's surprise."

My grin widened as I grabbed a silk robe and tossed it on over my lingerie before just about ripping the door open. "You're a life savour, Isabel."

The tall Hispanic woman smiled warmly down at me as she stepped into the room and embraced me tightly. "I was so worried tonight, Taylor. You mean a great deal to all of us now."

"You all mean a lot to me too." I nodded in agreement. And that was the truth. Isabel felt like the mother I never really had. I wished I could have had a relationship like this with my mother, to have someone who understood me, who was there for me when I needed her to be the most. But that just wasn't the mother I got, and somewhere along the way I grew to be okay with that. But it was nice to grow so close to Isabel in such a short amount of time. It was nice to have this feel of family even when I was states away from my own.

"Now I hope this dress doesn't intimidate you. I bought it along with the other, but I knew you would be more comfortable in the other. It's a shame it was destroyed, you looked beautiful in it." Isabel glanced at where the bloodied dress now lay in a heap in the corner. She shook her head after a moment and lifted the new dress from her arms.

My eyes grew wide when I saw the little black dress. I knew even from how it hung on the hanger that it would be skin tight and form fitting. It also looked a little short and I knew right away why Isabel hadn't chosen it for me to wear earlier. I did feel more comfortable in the other dress. But I was trying to be sexier. I was trying to turn this night around for both Godric and I. This dress would certainly do it. And it wasn't like I would be in the dress for too long. Maybe for not long at all. Maybe Godric would get one glance at me in it and rip it right off.

That thought caused my cheeks to burn a bright red and I knew from the knowing look Isabel was sending me that she knew exactly what I was thinking. Embarrassed, I took the dress from the vampire and began into the bathroom to get changed. Just as I expected, the dress was skin tight. It wasn't too tight that I felt like I couldn't breathe, but it felt like a second skin for sure. As I looked at myself in the mirror, I did have to admit that I looked amazing. The dress clung to me in all the right places, embracing my curves and making my short legs look endless. It would for sure blow Godric's mind, and that's exactly the reaction I was going for.

"You look stunning." Isabel gushed as I stepped out of the bathroom and spun around for her.

"You really think so?" I asked self consciously.

"Godric won't know what hit him when he sees you in this." She winked at me as she handed me a pair of matching black flats. She knew me too well. "Godric is waiting for you in the living room. Let me just fix up that hair of yours first."

I laughed and sat down on the bed, letting the female vampire play with my hair. I couldn't wait to see Godric again. Less than an hour had gone by since we had parted and I already missed him. If nothing else, tonight had brought us closer. I wasn't sure what would happen in the future between us, but I knew that right now, I wanted Godric in every possible way. I still found myself nervous about later tonight however. I was a virgin, and before Godric came along, I hadn't even held the hand of a boy. I didn't feel as innocent anymore; Godric had broken me out of that shell I had been hiding in. But I was still so inexperienced and that worried me. What if I was terrible tonight? What if I disappointed Godric and he didn't want to be with me anymore?

"Isabel?" I asked softly, glancing at the vampire as she braided my blond locks over one shoulder. "Do you remember the first time you...well that you had..."

"Sex?" Isabel offered with a kind smile. "It was...many centuries ago. I can barely remember many of my human years. But a woman always remembers her first time."

"Did it...did it hurt?" I started to chew on my fingernails nervously. This was a conversation a girl was supposed to have with my mom. But even if I had been at home right now on the farm, I knew it would never be the right time to talk to my own mother about sex.

"You're a virgin, aren't you?"

I nodded shyly. "I've never even kissed anyone before Godric came along. He always calls me innocent and naive, and I guess he's right."

"Godric is not someone who will force you to do anything you're not comfortable with doing."

"I know. And that's not the problem. Believe me; I definitely want to be with him in that way." My hands started to fidget in my lap. "I'm just worried that I won't be good enough for him. Or that it'll hurt and be uncomfortable and we'll both end up hating it."

"Godric couldn't possibly hate a single thing about you, Taylor." Isabel squeezed my shoulder gently. "He loves you. I've never seen him this happy, and I've known Godric for many centuries. He's tried so hard to keep himself from attaching to humans, and then you come along and he just can't help himself. Whatever might happen tonight, he'll still love you the same tomorrow, maybe even a little bit more."

"You're right." I nodded, knowing that she was right. That still didn't ease me my nerves though.

"Just be yourself, Taylor. Godric loves you for who you are, he wouldn't want anyone or anything different. I think he proved that to you tonight."

He had killed another vampire to protect me tonight. He had allowed that beast from within to consume him in that short moment. Who knows what consequences Godric might have now? What if he got in trouble for doing it? What would happen? I knew Eric was trying to take care of the issue, but what if he couldn't?

"Just relax and have a good time." she patted my shoulder before standing. "All done. Godric will be speechless when he sees you."

"You think?"

"I know." She pulled me to my feet and kissed my cheek in a motherly fashion. "Go, Godric is pacing impatiently."

I laughed as I let the vampire nudge me out of the room. I listened closely as I stepped into the hallway, expecting to hear the sounds of other vampires like earlier. But the house was so deadly silent, you could have heard a pin drop. I was thankful that everyone was gone, that Godric and I could be alone finally. I felt the safest with him at my side, with his arms around me. And right now, all I wanted was to be in his arms and pretend earlier had never happened.

I was surprised to find the living room put back together when I first entered the room. But it was Godric who gained my sole focus. He had showered himself, his hair still damp. He wore a black shirt that matches the blue one he had worn earlier, the top buttons left undone while the sleeves were rolled up passed his elbows. He wore dark charcoal linen pants and just looked out of this world. It was his eyes however, that pulled everything together. Those beautifully striking blue eyes held warmth and love in them, and that caused my heart to swell. In that moment, as our gazes connected, I felt such a rush of love and comfort to such a degree that I was nearly knocked over. I almost wanted to cry as he held out a hand, motioning m closer. I tried to blink away the tears as I stepped further into the room, my hand slipping into his as if they were created for one another.

"You look exquisite." Godric stated breathlessly as his gaze raked over my appearance. His eyes paused on my legs, and I saw that lust in his orbs deepen with desire. There was no denying that Godric wanted me, and that just made me so elated to know. "Beautiful, absolutely beautiful."

His gaze moved the rest of the way up my body to rest back on mine. He smiled that half smile of his as he began moving slowly around me, his hands trailing over my waist and up my sides. I shuddered from his touch, and I just couldn't wait until there weren't clothes acting as barriers between us any longer.

"You are the most beautiful being I've ever laid my eyes on." He stood completely behind me now, his front pressed against my back. His hands rested on my hips, pulling me backwards into him even more, the bulge in his pants growing with every passing second. A moan escaped my lips as he brushed his cool lips up the side of my neck without my braid getting in the way. He paused at my sweet spot, his tongue flicking out to tease me in all the right ways. My knees were shaking together and I wondered if he could hear my heart as it raced inside of my chest. My eyes fluttered close and if it weren't for Godric acting as my support, I knew I would have fallen over. "Close your eyes."

"Hm?" I couldn't even form a full word. My body felt like it was shuddering in pleasure just from his simple touches. Maybe I would be the one to rip his clothes off and not the other way around.

"Close your eyes." He kissed the back of my neck, his hand tightening on my hips just a touch.

I was smiling as I closed my eyes, wondering what Godric had in store for me. I trusted him with my life though, so if he told me to close my eyes, I would do so gladly. I felt a gust of wind as Godric moved around the room quicker than I ever would have been able to see even if my eyes had been opened.

"What are you doing?" I asked out loud.

"Just keep those beautiful eyes closed for another minute." His voice sounded in my ear, another kiss meeting my neck before he took back off again. I had no idea what to expect, but I found my excitement growing as the seconds ticked away. Finally, after what felt like hours, Godric fell to a stop before me, the backs of his fingers caressing my cheek. "You can open your eyes now."

I gasped as I did. I hadn't even realized there had been candles littered around the room until now. They were now all lit, the room dark besides the candles. There were dozens of them around the room, circling the two of us. Godric looked even more handsome in the dim candle light and I felt like the luckiest girl in the world at that moment. I looked around the room in amazement. There wasn't a surface that wasn't covered in a lit candle. Soft music was playing from somewhere, and the entire scene was just romantic. This felt like such a fairytale moment, like I was trapped in a movie. My life, despite almost dying yet again tonight, felt perfect and it was all because of Godric. In that moment, I didn't think about Damien, I didn't think about the impending kidnapping by the fellowship of the sun. I was solely focused on Godric, the vampire who had given me everything without even being asked. He had taken me in; he had protected me like no one had ever done before in my life. I felt more love for him in that moment than ever before.

"This is amazing." I breathed out as I set my sights back on Godric. "It's beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you." He leaned forward, capturing my lips with his. I was grinning into the kiss as I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. One of his hands came to the small of my back, pressing me against him, against his arousal, while the other cupped the back of my neck, his fingers teasing the bare skin. I trembled in anticipation against him. All I wanted was to be with him, all of him.

"I want you." I whispered against his lips as we parted, his forehead resting against mine. "I so want you."

"Not yet, my sweet little seer." He stole a short but sweet kiss before untangling ourselves from one another and took a step back. I raised an eyebrow as he held out a hand to me, a smile playing on his lips. "May I have this dance?"

A very girlish giggle left my lips as I slid my hand into his. I was embarrassed by it, but Godric only seemed to smile wider as he drew his arm around my waist as he kept our hands clasped.

"I didn't know you could dance." I rest my cheek against his chest as Godric began to sway us inside the circle of candles. It was a very romantic and tender moment, one that I would never forget, not any time soon anyways.

"I have many tricks up my sleeves." He whispered huskily into my ear.

"Hm, maybe we'll have to test some of those tricks out later." I teased with a laugh.

"Well aren't you just a minx tonight." his lips brushed just below my earlobe. "What have I done to that sweet little girl I met only months ago."

"You corrupted her." I grinned. "Do you regret it?"

"Some days." He admitted, causing me to frown and look up at him. "I don't mean it in a way to hurt you. Some days I think that you would be better off without me in your life."

"That isn't true."

"Perhaps it is, perhaps it isn't." Godric shrugged. "But I do know that at this moment, I regret nothing. I wish I didn't have to drag you into these dangerous times, but the thought of losing you, of not having you in my arms, it physically pains me."

I stepped up onto the tips of my toes and kissed him on the lips. "I love you, I hope you know that."

"I never understood what love meant in my long existence."

"You've never loved before?" I asked curiously.

"Never." He shook his head. "Serena and I...we were very close, but she was only a friend to me, like a sister. She was never someone that I loved like I do you. I've never felt this human, not even when I was a human boy. And I thank you for that."

"You make me happier than I've ever been. These visions, they've caused me a lot of pain in the past. I was alienated because I was different, even by my own mother. But you don't do that. You accept me for who I am, and I can't think of anyone I'd rather spend tonight with. I know that the future might be rocky, and we still have the whole fellowship of the sun kidnapping on our hands, but I do love you, I really truly do."

His lips met mine again, and this time, neither of us were able to pull away. I felt his arm tighten around me and I started to feel that ache between my legs. I couldn't wait too much longer; I needed him now, right now.

"I have another surprise for you." His forehead rested against mine.

"Can't it wait?"

"For you, the entire world can wait." He cupped my cheek, caressing the skin with his skin. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, both inside and out. I cannot even begin to imagine why someone as lovely as you would give me the time of day. But for that, I'm honoured."

"Don't sell yourself short, Godric, you're pretty damn hot." I winked at the vampire, letting out a laugh.

"Is that all?" he raised an eyebrow teasingly.

"Well there might be one or two other reasons." My hands snaked up the front of his shirt and rested over the fabric covering his chest. "We're wearing one too many clothes, I think."

"Is that so?" a sly smirk crossed his lips. "I think we'll have to change that."

I shuddered as his hand circled around my back only to come to a halt over the top of the zipper of my dress. I stared up at him in that moment and I knew in the bottom of my heart that he was the only man, or vampire, that I wanted to be with tonight, the only one I wanted to lose my virginity to. He was the perfect man. He wasn't a monster, not in this very moment. He was just a man, and I was just a girl, and that's all that mattered.

Godric surprised me when he started to tug down the zipper of my dress right then and there in the middle of the candle littered living room. I froze, and Godric must have misread the signals and immediately dropped his hand to the side.

"Have I done something wrong?" He asked in concern.

I shook my head. "No no, nothing like that. Just...where are the others? I don't really want to be walked in on..."

Godric smiled warmly. "Isabel has retreated to her room tonight with Hugo and Stan is elsewhere for the rest of the evening."

"What about Eric?" I questioned curiously, my fingers toying with the buttons of his shirt.

"He's on his way home as we speak."

"How did he get here anyways?" I wondered.

"He flew."

"You don't mean the airplane sort of flying, do you?" if raised an eyebrow.

Godric just chuckled and shook his head.

"Will he be able to get back in enough time? Dawn isn't so far off." I couldn't believe I was concerned over Eric's safety. But then again, he had been true to his word tonight. He had protected me. He stood by me and fought against Damien to keep me safe. We had both selflessly saved one another. We were even now, and I hoped that maybe our strained relationship would change, at least a little bit. Godric didn't deserve our bickering, and I knew as long as Godric and I were together, I would have to deal with Eric being around. They were just a packaged deal.

"He's taken a vampire friendly air service back to Louisiana. He'll retreat to a coffin once dawn arrives." Godric explained.

"Well that makes sense." I nodded before looking around the beautiful room. It looked intimate and romantic with Godric's touches. It was just beautiful and I still couldn't believe that he had done all of this just for me. How had I gone from having confusing dreams about this vampire to this point? Everything seemed to have happened so fast, and yet I knew in my heart that this was the right decision. My heart had belonged to Godric long before I ever met him in person. And tonight, that was going to be even truer. He had claimed me, and now, I would give myself entirely over to him, to hold in his hands, to love and cherish like I knew that he would. I should have been afraid, I should have been nervous, but as I stood there with Godric, I held no doubts. Only my love shined. "Since we won't be interrupted..."

Godric understood what I meant as his hand returned to the zipper, pulling it down with ease, and much faster than before. I could see the hunger and lust in those striking blue orbs. But it was the love that flowed between us that took precedence.

It was only when the zipper was all the way undone that it really hit me that I was going to do this. I knew it was going to happen, but standing there before him, the dress slowly being peeled down my body by his cool but comforting hands, it just sent tingles of excitement racing through my body. I had a moment of feeling self conscious when the dress fell to my ankles and Godric prompted me to step out of the dress. He swept the piece of fabric up and tossed it out of the circle of candles, leaving me to stand there in only my black lingerie. My arms began to rise, to cover myself up, but Godric stopped me, his smile even warmer than before.

"Don't, you're beautiful." He brushed his lips across the top of my nose affectionately.

I offered an awkward smile before my fingers began popping out the buttons of his top. I didn't want to be the only one standing there nearly naked. As Godric's hands began to roam over my tanned skin, causing me to shudder and goose bumps to rise, I started to tug his shirt off of him. Once the shirt was unbuttoned, I slid the material over his shoulders and pushed the shirt off of him completely.

"That's better." I stared at his tattoos, my fingers dancing across each and every one, from the ones on his arms to the one stretching from one collar bone to the other. I had always admired these tattoos. I wasn't sure what they stood for, and Godric always seemed content to not delve into his past, but they looked beautiful on him. They clashed against his deathly pale skin, but they only seemed to enhance his features, not hinder them. They told a story of his past, a story that one day, I hope I would get to hear. But until them, I admired them silently. "You're still wearing too many clothes."

Godric chuckled as his fingers glided up my sides, lightly tickling my sensitive body, before coming to a stop at the straps of my bra. His eyes were admiring me as I admired his tattoos, and I couldn't help but blush. I had never had a man look at me in this way while I stood before them nearly naked. I wasn't sure how to act or how to stand. I was sure any other girl would have said something seductive, or would have prompted things along. But I was still so new and fresh at this, and Isabel had told me to be myself. Godric loved me for who I was, not some other girl. He knew I was innocent and naive at certain things, included sex, and he had never minded in the past. If he had, he wouldn't have stuck around and waited until the right moment for our first time, for my first time.

"You are truly breathtaking." Godric shook his head in astonishment. "You try to hide yourself in embarrassment, but your beauty, it should be embraced, my love."

I felt warmth spread through me. "I like when you call me that."

"My love, my love, my love." Godric grew closer with every word until his lips were back pressed against mine. His fingers trailed over my shoulders and to the clasp of my bra. He slid his fingers beneath the back of the bra, tracing invisible designs on the untouched skin, before unhooking the bar altogether. I held in a breath as his lips parted from mine just long enough for him to slip the straps off of my shoulders and freeing my breasts from their confines. I felt that flash of fear before Godric calmed me with his comforting kisses. They were short, but sweet as he trailed them along my jaw and down my neck. He paused over my pulsing vein for a moment and I knew he was trying to keep control of his inner desires. Soon he continued on his path over my shoulder, down my collar bone and to the top of one of my breasts. I let out a soft moan as he began kissing the flesh, his other hand rising to cup the other breast in his soft hand. My head fell back as he brushed his thumb over one nipple at the same time that his tongue flicked out across the other.

I could do nothing but just stand there as Godric hooked his fingers into the waistband of my panties. His lips had locked onto one of my nipples and pure pleasure was sweeping through me like a waterfall. I had never felt anything so incredible before in my life and I wondered how I had never thought of doing this before now.

Soon enough, I was naked before Godric. His lips had left my nipple, as he just stood there, staring down at me. He didn't speak, just admired my body. I was feeling self conscious again, and it took all my will power not to try and cover up my most intimate parts.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he hooked a finger under my chin, our gazes meeting. "We can stop this right here, we don't have to continue."

I shook my head. "No, I want this Godric. I want you. I love you."

"And I love you." Our lips met, the passion flowing between us.

My hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they fell to the top of his pants. I started to tug them down, but the angle was too awkward to do so without his help. His tongue swept across my bottom lip teasingly as he aided in pulling down his pants, his boxers following suit. We were both naked now, both completely unrevealed to one another.

"May I?" his hands were back to trailing over my body, travelling to places he had never reached before.

I opened my mouth to question what he meant when he lifted me right off of the ground, only to place me down onto a blanket within the circles of candles that I hadn't even noticed Godric had placed there. He hovered over me, one hand cupping my cheek, with the other explored my naked form. His fingers brushed over my breasts, taking the time to slowly tease my nipples, stirring up the pleasure deep inside of me once again. My back arched as my eyes fluttered close, Godric's lips brushing lightly against mine before trailing back down to my neck. His tongue flicked out, licking across my pulsing vein, tasting me without breaking through the skin. I knew he was holding back. I knew he was trying to stop the impending moment when those fangs would extend. I hated that he was trying to hide that part of him. I loved him for who he was, all of him. There was no hiding tonight.

"I love you." I whispered breathlessly, my hands wandering up his strong arms before one ran through his short silky hair while the other explored his bare back. "I love all of you Godric. Don't hide from me."

"I don't want to be this monster." He whispered sadly as he began to rise above me, his orbs meeting mine.

"You're not a monster." I smiled up at him, the backs of my fingers caressing his cheek. "You're perfect, Godric, just the way you are. And that includes the fact that you're a vampire. Don't hide from me anymore, Godric. I love you and I want all of you tonight. No more hiding."

He looked hesitant at first, but after a moment, he nodded and allowed his fangs to extend with a single click. My smile widened as my fingers trailed over his cheek before falling to those fangs. My fingers danced across his lips, causing the vampire to shudder in a way I never thought I would be able to cause.

"You're just as beautiful, Godric." I lifted my head off of the blanket and pressed my lips against his, my tongue sliding against his fangs. We had never kissed like this before, and it sent an electric shock right through my body. A fang pricked my bottom lip and Godric began gently sucking on the small cut. I moaned, my eyes fluttering back closed as Godric moved me back down flat on the ground as he pressed himself against me. One of his hands slid across my body, causing me to react with every little movement. It felt like my body was on fire as he touched me in ways I never thought were possible.

And then he found the aching between my legs. I would have gasped if his lips weren't still pressed against mine. His fingers teased my thighs as he slowly began to push them apart, allowing him access to my most intimate area. His touches were feather light, just barely touching me. It was pure torture. I bucked my hips to try and meet his touches, causing his fingers to brush against my hot core. I had to break our kiss to gasp in an ounce of air, feeling lightheaded from the pleasurable sensations cursing through my veins, overtaking my body completely. It felt like I was floating above ground, like I was on cloud nine as his lips hovered over my neck, his fangs grazing over my pulsing vein.

"Godric..." I moaned out, my hands grasping onto his back, my fingernails beginning to dig into his muscles. A low growl sounded from the back of his throat and he gently nibbled on my neck, not piercing the skin, but enough to cause me to gasp out. "Godric please."

His fingers moved, sliding back up my sensitive body, before he situated himself between my legs. I could feel his arousal pressing against mine and it felt like fireworks were going off in my lower region. My eyes were rolling to the back of my head as he held himself there, not pushing in, but not pulling away. He was teasing me, making me beg for exactly what I wanted.

"Please..." I whimpered. "Make love to me. Please."

A single kiss was placed on my neck, and I knew what he really wanted.

"Bite me."

"I can't." he shook his head, still controlling what was left of his urges. "I won't lose control with you."

"Damn it, Godric!" My eyes flew open as my hand slid down his back and to one of the cheeks of his ass. I squeezed it, surprising Godric as he raised his gaze to meet mine. I glared at him as I captured his lips roughly. I bit down on hit bottom lip, eliciting another growl from the vampire as I pulled away from him. I saw the craving in those blue orbs; I just needed him to submit to that desire now. "I love you Godric. Now will you fucking bite me and make love to me already?"

I grinded my hips against his, the tip of his erection pressing inside of me just a touch. The sounds that emitted from my lips didn't even sound like me. It sounded like a woman lost in desire, lost in pleasure. And that's exactly how I felt at that moment. Godric must have understood my need and finally allowed gave himself to me in the same way that I was to him.

"You're mine." He growled in a raspy voice before suddenly, his fangs were sinking into my neck at the exact moment that he pushed himself into me. I let out a scream of ecstasy, the pain mixing with pleasure. He rocked slowly inside of me, moving so slow it was almost torture. But I knew he didn't want to hurt me. He was big, and as I was a virgin, I could already feel the pain shooting up my body. But as he rested there, as his hands caressed my body, that pain soon turned to pleasure as it was now my body that was rocking against his for him to continue. His strokes were still slow and even, allowing me to get used to his size before that animal inside of him began to seep out. My fingernails were digging into his back, and if he had been human, I was sure I would have been hurting him. But it only seemed to turn him on as he dived himself deeper inside of me, filling me completely. My mouth opened, curving into an 'o', but no sound emitted from my lips. I was in heaven. It felt like I had just left my body and was drifting away. It was the greatest feeling I've ever felt in my life.

"Oh god..." I was finally able to form words, the pressure building between my legs. "Oh god...Godric...oh...oh god!"

A grunt sounded from the vampire before suddenly that pressure exploded, my body shaking as the orgasm began crashing through my body uncontrollably. Godric held onto my shaking form, his lips moving to mine, and though I could taste my blood on his lips, I didn't mind one bit. Minutes passed before I felt my body fall limp against the blanket, Godric's body still against mine. I let out a lengthy sigh of content as I opened the eyes I never knew I had closed, and stared into those beautiful blue eyes of the man that I loved.

"I'm yours." I whispered as I kissed those sweet lips. "I'm yours completely."


	26. Chapter Twenty Five

**Chapter Twenty Five:**

I woke with a smile on my face the next day. I expected to find Godric and I still sprawled out on the floor of the living room, but I was surprised to find that Godric and I were tucked into his bed, our naked bodies still pressed against one another. That thought caused a blush to creep onto my cheeks as I raised my cheek off of his cool, unmoving chest, and stared at the man that I loved. My smile widened as I took in the sight of Godric's slightly messy hair, the smile that was adorning his own peaceful expression. He didn't budge a single inch as I raised my hand, the backs of my fingers caressing his soft cheek. He was completely dead to the world, and that should have freaked me out. But instead, I felt loved and safe, his arms locked securely around me. I knew what he was, and it didn't bother me one bit. I loved Godric entirely, and that included those fangs of his.

"I can't believe someone like you loves someone like me." I voiced softly to myself as I traced the designs of his tattoos with my fingertips. I just stared at Godric, taking in every little feature, memorizing every little thing that I could about this vampire. He seemed so different when he was asleep. He looked peaceful and content. When he was awake, there was always something new for him to worry himself over. I liked to see him happy, to see him content just for a little while. Everyone deserved that, even him.

"You're staring." Godric surprised me by speaking.

My gaze rose to his and I found that his smile had widened, though his eyes were still closed.

"I'm gazing upon your beautiful features." I laughed, rising up onto an elbow as I brushing my lips against his. "It's romantic."

Godric chuckled as his beautiful eyes opened to meet mine. "I could take a hundred years of waking up beside you, my love."

"I wouldn't mind waking up every single day beside you naked."

"I believe I truly have corrupted you." He raised a hand and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'm not that innocent, naive girl you met so long ago."

"No, you're most certainly not." He caressed my cheek with the backs of his fingers. I shuddered at his touch and pressed my body harder against his. "But I love you all the same."

"Well that's good to know." I smiled up at him lovingly. "I love you."

"And I love you." He tapped my nose before kissing my forehead affectionately. "I still have another surprise for you."

"Ah, right." I nodded, though I made no move to untangle myself from his naked form. "What is it?"

"If I told you, that would ruin the surprise."

"That's no fun."

"I would show you, but I fear neither of us want to leave the bed right now." His arm circled around my waist and suddenly, my back was pressed against the bed, Godric now hovering over me.

I grinned slyly up at him. "I can't help it; I just have this gorgeous vampire in bed with me, why would I ever want to leave?"

"My sentiments exactly." His lips captured mine, and I knew immediately that we would be having a repeat performance of last night. I could already feel my arousal growing, and as he pressed harder against me, I could feel his erection growing. I moaned as his tongue swept across my bottom lip, allowing his tongue access to meet mine. The two duelled, exploring one another inside and out while his hands began the exploration down my body. I trembled against his touches, the warmth spreading throughout my entire body as my aroused core ached to be touched.

I bucked my hips, hoping to meet with his erection, and I was right on point as I felt the tip of his arousal pressing hard against me. I moaned into our kiss, his lips soon leaving mine as they began to trail along my jaw, making sure to take his sweet time before arriving at the marks he had created last night. His fangs never extended, but his tongue licked at the fang wounds. I was afraid at first that he would try to heal me, to hide what he had done, but I was thankful when he didn't. I wanted to show the world that I belonged to only one, and that was this vampire above me.

"I need you...inside of me." I gasped out as Godric's fingers brushed across my nipples, causing the ache between my legs to grow, the pressure already beginning to build. "Right now."

Godric obliged, and in one swift rock of his hips, he was inside of me. I cried out in pleasure, Godric's lips locking back against mine as our bodies moved in perfect melody with one another. It was as if our bodies had done this a thousand times with one another, instead of only the first time last night. Godric already seemed to know my body better than I did, caressing me in all the right places to elicit moan after moan from my lips. It wasn't long before I felt my orgasm rising, the climax threatening to burst. When it finally did, I felt Godric's own orgasm hitting, our bodies shaking in unison, holding onto one another as we rode the crashing tides completely.

It wasn't long before Godric had slid back onto the bed, his arms pulling me to his side almost possessively. I didn't mind as my exhausted, and well spent, body curled up beside his in perfect content. I had never been so happy before in my life. I let myself forget about my near death experience last night and just enjoyed this moment. Because I knew eventually, it wouldn't last. Because while Damien was out of the picture, we still had the fellowship of the sun to deal with.

* * *

It wasn't until both Godric and I had showered and dress that he led me out of his room, my eyes closed, and his arms wrapped securely around me as he guided me through the house. I had no idea what to expect. What could possibly top last night. I could never have imagined a better first time, and now he had even more surprises to shower me with? I wasn't complaining of course. If I had been at home, I would have ended up having an awkward dinner with my parents before opening some gift that I would never have a use for. But Godric had made my birthday special, despite the interruption by the psychotic vampire that was now no more than a pile of blood.

"Whatever happened to Damien's...ah...remains?" I asked curiously as Godric continued to guide me through the house. I tried to peek every so often, but Godric would only tickle my side, eliciting a laugh from my lips and my eyes to shut once again.

"You don't need to worry about that now, my love." He assured.

"Will you get in trouble for killing him?"

"Eric was able to...persuade the King to inform the Authority that he had a rogue vampire among his court that had attacked my human. There is no law that I can be bound to for killing him."

"Good, I was worried." I let out a sigh of relief. I had been so worried that Godric would be taken away from me because he had killed Damien just to save me. I was relieved to know that wouldn't happen, not anytime soon.

"All I wish is for you to be happy right now." I heard a door opening before the warm night air hit my bare arms.

I raised an eyebrow as Godric directed me out onto the front steps of the house. I was getting anxious, just wanting to know what he had in store for me. I wasn't expecting the sight before me however, when Godric prompted me to open my eyes. My eyes grew wide as I found the brand new, sleek yellow car sitting at the end of the driveway. I tried to remember if I had seen the car before, if it could have belonged to one of the other vampires, but I couldn't remember ever seeing the vehicle before. Did that mean...

"Is it to your liking?" Godric asked, a look of uncertainty in his blue orbs.

I looked up at him in confusion. Did he buy me a car? Did he actually buy me a car?

"Before you say a word," he must have noticed the look on my face. "I didn't buy you a car."

"Oh." I let out the breath of air I hadn't realized I had been holding in. "Well that's a relief."

"I did however, buy myself a car." He continued, a smile creeping its way across his lips. "A car which keys just might happen to remain in your possession."

My eyebrows shot back up into my hairline as my eyes grew as wide as saucers. Before I could blurt out that he really didn't need to do that, his fingers laid upon my lips, silencing me.

"I knew you would disprove is I bought you a car. You've fought me tooth and nail over any of the other gifts I've tried to shower you with. So I didn't buy you a car, not exactly."

"I don't understand."

"The car is mine, but as you can imagine, it's a bit...bright, for my liking." He chuckled softly.

"I still don't understand."

Godric smiled as he wrapped his arms around me, his lips brushing across my forehead. "I took away your independence when I had you move in with me, and I regret that. You are a stubborn, independent woman, and I don't wish to ever change you, my love. I love you with all of my undead heart, but I've taken something away from you that you cherish, and that is your freedom. This is my...compromise."

"Your compromise?" I was still confused, though I couldn't help the smile that appeared on my lips. Being in Godric's arms could always put a smile on my face. "What sort of compromise."

"I would ask that you don't wander off the property without someone that I deem...trustworthy."

"So that would include who, you and..."

"Isabel." He answered simply, not adding any other names to the list.

"What, you mean you don't trust Stan with me?" I snorted with an eye roll. "Shocking!"

He snickered. "Stan is..."

"We'll just end it there." I grinned up at him as I thought over everything he had said. He had bought me a car without actually buying me a car. It was his, and yet I was free to use it as I pleased. Of course, only if I had him or Isabel with me. At one time, I would have hated that I had any sort of restriction. But I understood that Godric was only trying to keep me safe. Damien might have met the true death last night, but the fellowship was still set to kidnap me, to endanger all of our lives. Until we could stop that from happening, if that was even possible, then we would have to take precautions. A week ago, Godric wouldn't have even let me out of the house, but now he was compromising, something that I could appreciate. "So we're compromising?"

"We're compromising." Godric nodded, his arms tightening around me. "If that's suitable for you."

My grin widened as I captured his lips with my own in a short, but sweet kiss that I hoped said everything that I was feeling. "Thank you Godric."

"I never intended to take your freedom away, Taylor."

"I know, Godric. You were just worried, and I get it. So we're compromising, just like a real couple. Look at that, we're growing up." I teased.

"I believe we are." He let out a sigh, as if he hadn't been sure how this surprise would affect me.

"So...does that mean we can go for a spin then?" my eyes brightened at the mere thought of sliding into that driver's seat. I hadn't driven since I left Ohio and I was just itching it get behind the wheel of that beautiful new car. Godric knew my tastes well. It wasn't flashy, at least not in style. The colour was perfect however. It was very in your face, and seemed so unlike me, but my old little car back home had been the exact colour and I had loved it just as much.

"If you'd like to." He nodded, slipping the keys out of his pocket. He dangled them before me and I quickly snatched them up. "Should I fear your driving?"

"Oh you have no right to complain." I wagged my finger at him as I squirmed out of his arms and began towards the car. "You scared me half to death whenever you drove."

Godric laughed as he suddenly flashed behind me, his arms wrapping around me as his lips attacked my neck affectionately. I sighed happily, my eyes closing as we stood there, halfway down the driveway, where anyone could have seen us. And I didn't care one little bit. Because I loved Godric more than anything. The whole world could watch us if they wanted to.

* * *

Time seemed to pass quicker than I thought it would. Days melted into weeks and soon, the months began to pass by. I was having the time of my life with Godric in Dallas. He was true to his word and compromised with my freedom. There were nights when Isabel and I would take off to have a girl's night, where other times, Godric and I would escape the confines of the usually full house, and drive for hours until we had to hurry back before dawn. Life was perfect, or at least in my eyes. Godric seemed happier too. There was a spark in his eyes that I had never seen before. Though I could tell that he was still worried. There was a kidnapping on the horizon, and there was just no way to predict when it would occur.

We tried of course. Godric had helped me with my visions, as he had promised me that he would. It wasn't easy for him, I could see that, and it was a slow start. He didn't want the same fate to meet me like it had Serena. He had lost a good friend, and I knew it was one of the reasons why it had taken us so long to get to this point, to where he freely allowed himself to love me. he was afraid of losing me, of my powers consuming me to the point that I would die from the sheer intensity. But I was determined to never let that happen. I didn't want Godric to lose me, and I damn well didn't want to lose him either. I vowed to never seek out the power like Serena had. I knew I wanted to control my visions, but I also knew now that there were limits that I had to abide by. I could already feel my limits whenever Godric and I practiced. I would feel light headed and nauseous after ever session, and Godric would always remind me that we didn't have to push things, that my visions would come naturally at the right time.

But I was stubborn, and Godric knew that well enough to know that I would never give up. I would take days to rest up before we practiced again, and even though I never once gained a true vision, I wasn't about to just toss in the towel. I would hear whispers, sometimes smell the oddest things while I was practicing. I could never hear the voices clearly however, and the smells seemed just so out of place that I couldn't figure out what they meant. But it was something at least. And something was more than nothing.

It wasn't until the start of summer hit however, that Godric began to pull away. The Fellowship of the Sun's efforts against vampires was growing stronger with each passing day and I could see the worry on his wrinkled forehead every time we would watch the news. It came to a point that I made sure we were never in a room with a TV alone, and that newspapers never found their way into the house. The vampires would mumble about the growing church, some, like Stan, voicing that we should just attack now and end their charades. Godric always grew angry at such statements, and would snap at them before leaving the room in a haste. I knew Godric was more concerned about my safety than anything, but I was getting concerned that he was using it as an excuse to push me away. He didn't want to lose me, and the fellowship of the sun was starting to wedge itself between us, and I hated it. I wasn't about to let those crazy preaching assholes kill me. I'd rather let my powers consume me than for that to happen.

"Godric," I prodded the vampire with a sigh as we sat beside one another in the living room. We were alone, which was rare. There was always some sort of commotion going on, and it seemed the get-togethers among the vampires were becoming more and more. Godric hated each and every one of them of course, but he was Sheriff, and was forced to endure them. I partially thought Stan was just planning them to rub Godric the wrong way. Anyone with two eyes could tell that Stan wanted Godric's title. But that would only ever happen if Godric snapped and did something he wasn't supposed to. I think Stan was upset that nothing happened after Godric had killed Damien all those months ago. But I had a feeling that even if Godric was stripped of his title, Stan wouldn't be the next one in line.

"Hm?" Godric pulled himself out of his thoughts and forced a smile onto his lips. "What is it, my love?"

"You never smile anymore." I frowned.

"I do."

"It's never a true smile though." I shook my head and rested my head on his shoulder. "I know you're worried about the fellowship, Godric. So am I. But don't pull away from me. I love you, and I don't want what we have to change."

Godric must have felt the sadness through our blood bond as his arm circled around my waist, securing me against him tightly.

"I haven't been a joy to be around lately, have I? He sighed heavily.

"I'd stick by your side even if you were the grumpiest vampire around." I assured him, wrapping my own arms around his torso. "I just hate seeing you like this. Everything was so good for the longest time after my birthday. We were happy. But lately..."

"Lately I have been pulling away." he nodded, his lips brushing against the top of my head. "And for that I'm sorry. I don't mean to, I hope that you know that, my love. I do love you, and I don't wish to ever exist without you. But I am worried, you're right. I'm concerned that we're running out of time."

"Don't talk like that." I squeezed my arms around him. "Our time isn't running out. Even if the Fellowship does kidnap me..."

"I would give my life for yours, Taylor." He hooked a finger under my chin and raised my gaze to meet his. "I would do anything in my power to keep you out of harm's way. I would meet the true death before I watched you..."

"Don't say that." I stopped him with my lips, kissing him for a quick moment before pulling away and looking him dead in the eye. "Don't you dare even say that. You will never do anything stupid like that, do you hear me?"

"Taylor..."

"No." I pressed a finger to his lips to silence him. "I love you Godric, and just the thought of you...of you not being around kills me. I love you, I really do. So don't talk like that. Whatever happens, happens. I'm scared shitless about being kidnapped, and that's why I want to work so hard at these visions to try and avoid that ever happening. But I know that it's a possibility, and I know what might happen."

"I don't want another soul to hurt you." Godric looked away sadly. "I've already brought you so much pain."

"That's not true." I disagreed. "Those men that nearly raped and murdered me, that wasn't your fault. Damien? Yeah he wasn't your fault either. And this kidnapping isn't your fault either. You didn't make those choices, they did. They decided to hurt me, not you. So don't blame yourself Godric, because none of this is your fault."

"If you never came here..."

"I came here because I had dreams about this amazing vampire that didn't deserve to die." I moved onto Godric's lap, my legs straddling his. I rested my hands against his chest as I leaned my forehead against his. "I stayed here because of this beautifully kind vampire that stole my heart. I never left because I loved such an incredible man that I couldn't even imagine not having him hold me every single night."

"What did I do to deserve you?" Godric sighed, shaking his head in astonishment.

"I should be the one asking that question, not you." I leaned forward, kissing him on each cheek before ghosting my lips against his. "I love you Godric. I love everything about you. I love getting naked and having wild passionate sex with you. I love just driving in that car that you did, but didn't buy me with you sitting in the seat next to me. I love waking up every morning...night...whatever, with your arms around me."

"And I love you, for all the same reasons, and even then some." He ran his hands up my sides before cupping both of my cheeks, cradling my head in his hands. "But I'm still scared for you. I'm scared that the fellowship will take you away from me."

"They can try." I offered him a smile before stealing a sweet kiss. "But I will go down fighting. I'm not so innocent and naive anymore. If the fellowship thinks they can break me, that they can take my vampire away from me, well they have another thing coming."

* * *

**A/N:** in true me fashion, now that Godric and Taylor are happy together, I have to go stir up trouble. time has sped up a bit, and now the whole fellowship of the sun issue has returned. we're getting closer to the point where the second season of true blood would pick up in Dallas, so expect lots of craziness to come!


	27. Chapter Twenty Six

**Chapter Twenty Six:**

I found myself relaxing outside in the brilliant sun at the start of August. I wasn't used to spending a summer just lying around the house, hardly lifting a finger. When I wasn't in school, I had always been working on the farm, helping my dad out in whatever way that I could. I never complained about it because honestly, I actually liked the hard work. I liked working on the farm and spending time with my dad. It was one of the reasons that I wouldn't mind taking on the task of running the farm one day when my dad wouldn't be able to do it. I knew it was still years away, but it was a future I had been betting on since I was a little girl.

But this year was different. I wasn't back home in Ohio in the middle of nowhere working on the farm from the moment the sun rose to when it set, and even then some. This year I was sitting back and relaxing. I found that while I spent majority of my nights up with Godric, not wanting to spend a moment without him, I would end up waking late in the afternoon before the sun set. So to pass the time, I would pick up a good book from Godric's vast collection, or one from my own growing collection that I had gotten on the many trips to the mall with Isabel, and just sit outside in the sun. Dallas got even warmer and sunnier than Ohio did in the summer, and I felt at ease baking in the sun. Godric seemed to like it. On more than one occasion during our love making he would mention that he could smell the sun on me. I knew he missed the sun, and who wouldn't after two thousand years without it. I had caught him a few afternoons waking up early and staring out the windows that were tinted so dark, not a single UV ray could penetrate them.

He was growing sadder as he days wore on. He tried to hide it from me. He tried to put a smile on his face to make me happy. But I saw right through his facade. We worked harder during our sessions to strengthen my powers, but fate just wasn't having any of it and wasn't showing me a damn thing. All we could do now was wait for the time to come that the fellowship tried to kidnap me. And then I would fight like hell. I wasn't about to let them ruin my life. I wouldn't let them turn everything upside down, not if I could help it. It had been six months since I came to Dallas and created this new life for myself, I refused to let them take that away from me.

"They need to take a good long hard look at themselves in the mirror." I shook my head as I put my book on the ground beside the lounging chair I was curled up in in the backyard and pushed my sunglasses back down to shield my eyes from the bright sun.

I settled back in the lounger, enjoying the peaceful moment. I knew once the sun set, everything would be hectic again. Stan had planned yet another party at the house, and I truly believed that one of these times, Godric was just going to snap at him over it. I tried to keep the peace, but some days I just really wanted to see that smug look smacked right off of that cowboys face.

I must have fallen asleep at some point, because when I woke, the sun was no longer beating down on my swim suit covered body. It wasn't the slight chill to the night air, however, that awoke me with a start, but instead that damn southern vampire that thought it would be hilarious to sneak up on me.

"Boo." A voice sounded in my ear.

I rolled right off of the lounger and onto the hard ground with a grunt. My eyes snapped open as I pulled the sunglasses off and looked around wildly. I had been having a nice dream too. Godric had joined me outside, his body pressing against mine on the lounger, his long hard erection pushing into me...

"Well don't you look appetizing?" Stan smirked down at me with that ridiculous cowboy hat perched on the top of his head. He licked his lips as his smirk widened, the vampire leaning over the lounger to where I sat awkwardly on the ground. "You smell it too."

My cheeks flushed a dark shade of red, but before I could tell him off, another did so for me.

"Don't you have elsewhere to be, underling?" Godric's icy tone sounded from the back door.

I grinned widely, sending the southern vampire a smug look as I glanced over to Godric.

"Yes, sheriff." Stan didn't look happy at all to be interrupted, but bowed his head and moved passed Godric and into the house.

I rolled my eyes as Godric stepped into the backyard, closing the door behind him. I chose that moment to stand, brushing off the dirt on my knees as I grabbed my book and tossed it onto the chair. I felt a pair of eyes boring into me and my cheeks burned as I dared to peek at the vampire, only to find him staring at me with that lustful gaze I had become accustomed to over the last few months.

"Hi." I greeted shyly, quickly snatching up my towel to wrap around myself.

Godric appeared before me suddenly, his hand tugging the towel from mine as he gently placed it back onto the lounger. His gaze travelled over me slowly, drinking me in. the warmth began spreading through my body and I knew he could feel my growing arousal as a light hearted smile crossed his lips.

"You look stunning." He breathed out, his gaze finally rising to meet mine.

"I should probably get dressed." I mumbled.

"If I could, I would order you to never wear clothes again." his arms snaked around my waist, tugging me against him as his lips met my forehead. "You're beautiful, Taylor."

"I honestly don't see what you do most days." I replied honestly. "But you do make me feet beautiful."

"And you make me feel more human than I ever have." He smiled down at me warmly as he caressed my cheek. "Though I know I'm nothing more than a..."

"Don't say it." I shook my head, stepping up onto the tips of my toes and laying a kiss on his lips. "You're the furthest thing from a monster."

"That's not what the Fellowship of the Sun believes." He commented sadly.

"The fellowship is a bunch of psychotic crazies." I rolled my eyes. "They preach that God would want humans to eradicate vampires, and yet that's not true at all."

"It isn't?"

"I know I'm not very religious, but I do believe in God, Godric. And I'd like to believe that God wouldn't approve of murder of any kind. And that includes humans killing vampires." I shrugged. "Obviously it's not what those crazies believe, but I don't think God would approve of what they're doing or what they're trying to do. If you weren't meant to be here, if God didn't mean for vampires or anything supernatural to exist, then it just would exist."

"You truly believe that?" Godric asked curiously with a frown. "You truly believe that God approves of vampires, of blood thirsty savages?"

"Maybe he wouldn't approve of unneeded murdering, but we humans do that too." I pointed out. "Look at the world around us, Godric. There are a lot of horrible things going on in this world that has nothing to do with vampires. Wars are being fought, genocides are happening. Just because you're a vampire, it doesn't mean you're evil. And just because we're human, it doesn't mean we're saints. We choose our own path, we choose our own destiny."

"God wouldn't forgive me for my sins." Godric sighed and looked away.

I cupped his cheek however and forced him to look back down at me. "You are a good person, Godric. You might have been one thing in the past, but you've changed. Look at all the good you've done? You're trying to bring peace among vampires and humans. Not many would even consider the impossible, but you see things so much differently. You want to change the world, Godric, and I think God would be proud of you for that."

Godric stared down at me for the longest time before I caught sight of the bloody red tears pooling in the corner of his eyes. It broke my heart to see his tears and I held onto his tightly, pressing my cheek against his chest.

"I would have died on multiple different occasions if it hadn't of been for you. God knows that. God knows that you've changed, that you're not the same vampire that you used to be. We're all allowed to make mistakes, to sin. It's how we change, how we use those mistakes to better ourselves that matters. You are a good person, Godric. You've showed me that love was possible, and that is the greatest gift anyone could ever give me."

"You are truly a miracle." His voice was strained as he began stroking my hair, his arm around my waist tightening. "God brought you to me to be my saint."

"I wouldn't say that exactly." I chuckled softly. "I think we're just helping each other. I was lost before I found you, Godric. I had no hope. I was stuck in a rut, in this place that I didn't want to be. And you changed all that."

"I was the one lost."

"Well now we're both found." I pulled away just enough to look up at him with a smile. There was a bloody tear stained on his cheek and I reached up to wipe it away with my thumb. Only, with his bloody tears, it ended up smudging across his flawless cheek. I couldn't help but laugh as I cupped the back of his neck and pulled him down towards me, my lips capturing his. He pressed me against him almost urgently, and I knew we both had similar problems. We were both self conscious in our own ways. It was hard to believe that a two thousand year old vampire was self conscious, but I saw the way he looked at himself, I heard what he would say at times. But I loved him no matter what, and that would never change.

"I love you." I whispered against his lips as his forehead came to rest against mine.

"And I you." A small smile began crossing his lips. "Whatever the reason for you entering my life, I'm grateful."

"Right back at you." I stole another kiss before staring up at those dazzling blue eyes. "So, do we really have to stay for this party thing?"

"I am Sheriff..."

"Can't we just...I don't know...skip it?" I asked with a smirk. "It's not like they'll miss you. Half the time I steal you away for 'alone time' anyways."

"Ah, you mean our moments of hot and heated sex that everyone can hear quite clearly." He teased.

"Mhmm." I nodded with a laugh. "At least this won't be as embarrassing."

"I suppose we could just sneak off." Godric agreed.

"We've known each other for six months now." I pointed out. "We could celebrate our six month anniversary."

"Anything to get out of this party." He chuckled.

"Pretty much. I'll even let Isabel put me in a dress just for you."

"Well then, I must agree." He kissed the top of my nose. "I'll make reservations while you go get dressed."

"Perfect." I grinned from ear to ear, pecking him on the cheek before grabbing my towel and book. I wrapped the towel around myself, though Godric tried to pull it back off of me, acting the age he looked and not the two thousand year old vampire that he was. It was nice to see his mood change. I hated to see him down, to see the self loathing. I wanted Godric to be happy; I wanted to put that smile on his face, to put that spark back in his eyes. He wanted to keep me safe, and I wanted to keep him happy. We seemed like the perfect pair.

Just not perfect enough to avoid the trouble that I could feel brewing on the horizon.

* * *

I was wearing a blue and yellow sundress when I walked back into the living room. The room was nearly filled to the brim with vampires, most that I've recognized from the past few months, while others were new and unknown. A few smiles were sent my way from those that had taken a moment to learn who I was, or at least understand why their two thousand year old sheriff had taken a human as a companion. Others shot me dirty looks, most from younger female vampires who had tried desperately to gain Godric's attention and approval. It was almost amusing. You would think as a vampire, they would attract whoever they pleased. But like a typical woman, they continued to hound the one man that was off limits. Some sent me curious glances, mostly the new ones, all wondering who that delicious smelling human was. But with the fang marks that were on my neck, and were displayed by my tight high ponytail, it was known that I belonged to another. After the original set of fang marks had disappeared, I had urged Godric to continue marking me. He hadn't liked the idea at first, but we both knew that if others saw that I was marked, then I would be left alone.

Of course, there was the downside to the marks. At times, while out with Isabel having one of our girl nights shopping or walking around downtown, humans would sneer in my direction and snigger insulting comments. I tried not to let them get to me. I had chosen this lifestyle and I wasn't about to let some stuck up humans ruin that for me. I loved Godric, and some idiotic comments weren't about to make me pack up and leave. That would never happen.

I searched for Godric in the room and frowned when I couldn't find him at all. Deciding to try his office, I turned to leave the crowded room when the news broadcast caught my attention. I realized now, why everyone was cooped up in the living room. Usually everyone was more spread out during these parties, taking up both the living room and the lounge, and even some filtered into the kitchen. But tonight, everyone was crowded around the large flat screen. My eyebrows furrowed as I stepped around a few vampires before catching sight of the screen. My eyes grew wide when I found Steve Newlin on the TV, debating yet again with Nan Flanagan. But it wasn't the debate that caught my attention, but instead the news tracker underneath.

_5 vampires dead across the state...the work of the fellowship of the sun or other anti-vampire extremists?_

"This is bullshit." Stan voiced with a grunt from the front of the room as he reached up to the TV and shut it off. "We need to do something."

"They all need to die!" one vampire shouted.

"We need to go to war!" another cried.

"We need to save ourselves! Eradicate them all!"

A chorus of cheers and agreements rang in the room and I groaned. This wasn't going to end well at all if Godric didn't make an appearance. And as if he had heard my silent pleas, the very vampire I had been searching for entered the room, a look of sadness on his face. He caught my eye and I motioned around to the tempered vampires. He waved me over, and I knew he was worried about me being in the shuffle of vampires. No one would dare hurt me on purpose, but even vampires flew off the rails sometimes in the heat of the moment. And I certainly didn't want to get caught up in that. So I quickly scurried over to where Godric stood in the doorway, my hand slipping into his. He squeezed my hand gently before turning his attention to the rest of the room.

"Enough!" he called out, the room immediately silencing. "What's this all about?"

"The fellowship of the sun needs to be taken care of, Sheriff." Stan stepped forward.

"I've told you a thousand times, Stan, that we cannot start a war with them." Godric sighed and shook his head.

"They've already started a war." Stan growled. "They're killing our kind. It's time that we step up and take care of them."

The other vampires agreed, backing the ridiculous looking vampire that acted more like an idiotic cowboy than the Sheriff's third in command.

"And what then? What will you do after we're run back into hiding?" Godric questioned the group of vampires hell bent on destroying the fellowship. I wasn't exactly against the idea, as they were the ones planning on kidnapping me, but this wasn't the way to do it. You couldn't start a war, not when the sides weren't even. Vampires would out number humans every single time, and not by the sheer amount of followers, but instead by their strength. Humans didn't stand a chance, even if they came armed.

"We can't just stand back and watch them wipe us out." Stan argued.

"You will do just that." Godric sent him a levelled look.

"Just because you're smitten with humans..." Stan shot me a look of disgust.

Godric's hand tightened around mine. "My interactions with humans has nothing to do with this decision. No one is to attack the fellowship."

"The other Sheriffs would take action." Stan challenged.

"Let them." Godric shrugged. "The Authority and AVL are against starting a war."

"Fuck the Authority. They're a bunch of cowards."

"This is my decision, underling." Godric's eyes narrowed. "If I find out that any one of you has taken it upon yourself to be a selfish hero for our kind, you will be punished accordingly."

"Sheriff..."

"The Fellowship of the Sun will be dealt with in a civilized manner. We will not go to war. Is that understood?" Godric glared at the rest of the room. The vampires bowed their heads, averting their stares. They knew not to go against Godric's orders. He wasn't only just the Sheriff, but he was also the oldest vampire around. No one dared to cross him for the fact that he could simply end their lives with a snap of his fingers. Most of these vampires had watched him do just that to Damien not that long ago. They knew Godric could be that vicious vampire once again when he needed to be. "Stan? Do you understand my command?"

"Yes sheriff." Stan grumbled, not looking one bit happy at the turn of events. He had been all ready to start a war tonight, to charge to the church and end all of their lives without even thinking.

"Good." Godric sent one last glare into the room before turning, with our hands still attached and began out of the room.

Once we were in the hallway and out of the prying vampire's sights, Godric stopped and turned to me. He kissed the top of my hand before raising my other hand and doing the same.

"I must inform the AVL of the near uproar here tonight." Godric sighed, and for the first time since I've known him, I began to see his age in those tired eyes of his. He hated this. He just wanted peace. After thousands of years of death, he just wanted to retreat and fall into a peaceful routine. But he wasn't getting his wish at all. If anything, things only seemed to be getting worse. "I won't be long, and then we'll leave."

"Take all the time you need." I pecked him on the cheek in assurance. "I'm just glad you showed up when you did. I thought there was going to be a riot."

"I'm forbidding any of their involvement, but I expect someone will be stupid enough to try something." Godric shook his head while rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I'll be back."

"Go go." I waved him off with a smile, knowing that at the end of the day, he was the Sheriff and he did have a job to do. I would rather Godric spend a few extra minutes calming the situation down than for an all out war to occur.

I killed time by strolling through the house, stopping in the kitchen when I found two familiar faces. I flashed them a smile as I joined Isabel and Hugo at the island.

"Well that was interesting."I mused.

"Stan is going to be the end of us all." Isabel rolled her eyes and took a sip of true blood.

"He needs to take a chill pill, that's for sure." I nodded in agreement, Hugo chuckling at my statement. I turned my attention onto the lawyer I hadn't seen in awhile. "How's it going Hugo? You haven't been around very much."

"Work." He explained with a shrug before sending Isabel a loving smile. "But I couldn't stay away for long."

I couldn't help but smile as the two love birds shared a loving glance. Stan may not understand humans at all, but it was clear that Isabel wanted the same peace that Godric did. She loved Hugo, and he loved her, much like Godric and I did. It was nice to see that there were others who were above these silly prejudices. Vampires had been human once; humans seem to forget that. They might require blood to live, but there were quite a lot of blood thirsty humans out there too. We shouldn't be so quick to judge. As the saying goes, every time you point the finger at someone, there's three fingers pointing right back at you.

"What are you and Godric up to tonight?" Isabel wondered.

"We were planning on going out. Godric is just calling up the AVL to let them know what's going on and then we'll be on our way."

"You be careful." Isabel sent me a look of worry. "It's getting more dangerous out there every single day."

"I'll be fine; I'll have a two thousand year old vampire to protect me." I assured her. "What about you two? Any special plans?"

"It's our three year anniversary." Hugo's smile widened. "I was hoping to steal Izzie for a little while but..."

"As you can see, I think I'll be needed here tonight." Isabel sighed sadly.

"Well don't let Stan keep you down." I patted her arm. "Kick his ass into gear."

"He needs that smirk to be smacked right off of his face." Hugo muttered, earning a chuckle from both Isabel and I.

"Oh I agree." I grinned. "I would love to do it, but I don't think that would end well for my hand."

"Probably not." Hugo shrugged. "One day I'm sure..."

I never heard the end of his sentence however, as suddenly, the world began spinning, black dots invading my vision. It took me a minute to realize what was happening as I started to sway on the spot. I could hear voices around me, calling out to me in concern, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't respond. Because a part of me wasn't in that kitchen, not anymore. A part of me was somewhere in Dallas, or more importantly, inside of a church.

"_Do you feel that, Gabe?" Steve Newlin rubbed his hands together, a wide grin on his face. A large man beside him grunted, a smirk growing on his lips as the two walked through the pews of the sanctuary. "We're finally going to be getting what God desires."_

"_The location has been confirmed. We'll drive by and pick up the fanger tonight."_

"_And the girl." Steve made sure to point out as they stopped, Steve adjusting his jacket as the doors to the sanctuary opened and a blonde perky woman began walking towards them. "Don't forget about the girl."_

"_What girl?" Sarah Newlin asked in her cheerful voice, the clicking of her heels echoing in church._

"_Nothing for you to worry about sweetheart." Steve assured her, smiling widely at his wife. "Just going over some business."_

_Gabe smiled wickedly behind the Newlin's as they began out of the sanctuary, the plan set in motion for later that night..._

"Oh god." I was pulled back into reality only to find myself lying on the floor, Godric and Isabel hovering over me with concerned expressions.

"Taylor? What is it?" Godric propped me up against his bent leg, the backs of his fingers caressing my warm cheek.

"I...I had a vision." I stared at him in horror.

"Of?" his voice sounded strained. "What is it, my love? What has you so frightened?"

"It's going to happen tonight." I told him in a small voice.

"What's going to happen tonight?"

"The kidnapping. It's going to happen tonight."


	28. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Chapter Twenty Seven:**

Godric was silent as he ushered me into his office. My head was swimming as I thought about all that happened in the vision. Steve Newlin and his psychotic goons were planning on attacking Godric and I tonight, and at the very least, planned on kidnapping me, if not both of us. But what struck me odd was that Gabe had said that the location had been confirmed. They had to have known where we would be. But how? Were there spies watching us at all times. But we had been so careful. Then again, there were those humans that had been trying to shoot Eric, only to end up shooting me. They obviously knew where we lived. What if they came here, what if they tried to attack us here in our own home? No, that would be suicide. They wouldn't come to a vampire's nest, when it was filled to the brim with vampires, and just attack. That was why they had acted so cowardly as to use man made weapons to try and end Eric's life. They couldn't win a fight when it came down to it, so they had to try and take the vampires by surprise.

So then what did that mean for tonight?

Once we were safely tucked into his office, Godric began to pace. Except, he wasn't pacing at normal human speed, and instead he was racing back and forth across the room faster than I could keep up. I eventually sat in one of the empty seats and put my head in my hands, getting dizzy from his constant pacing. I let out a heavy sigh as the tears began to form in my eyes. I wasn't sure why I was getting emotional. But I felt scared again, and I hated that. I kept having flashbacks to that night Damien had popped up and had nearly ruined everything. I didn't like surprises, and this was one hell of a surprise. Why couldn't I just have one simple night that wasn't ruined by psychotic crazies?

"My sweet?"

I let my hands fall into my lap, my gaze rising to find Godric kneeling beside me, a look of worry plastered across his face. I tried to offer him a smile, but I only failed miserably and moved to rest my forehead against his.

"I hate this." I whispered softly, my voice strained as I tried to control my emotions.

"I know." Godric sighed, his hand rising to brush away the few tears that began to drop. "I will do everything in my power to keep you safe."

"But how?" I asked in a small voice. "How can we do that?"

"Tell me again what happened in your vision." Godric rose up to his feet, only to lift me up into his arms and moved us around his desk and to his comfy leather chair. He settled down in it, holding me securely on his lap. I rested my head on his shoulder, my arms wrapped as tightly as they possibly could around Godric's middle, just wanting to feel safe and comforted.

"I saw Steve Newlin and his very large goon talking about us I assume." I began. "Gabe, that's the large goon, he said that the location was confirmed and that they were going to come and try to attack you tonight."

"What else." Godric began stroking my hair soothingly.

"Newlin reminded him about the girl, me I guess. And then he walked away with his wife and Gabe had this sick and sadistic look on his face like the idea of attacking a vampire and an innocent human was right up his alley of fun."

I shuddered as I squeezed my eyes shut, though that wicked smirk of Gabe's still haunted me even with my eyes closed.

"I'm scared."

"I know you are, my love." He brushed his lips against my forehead. "But I won't let them take you away from me."

"What I don't get is how they knew where we would be." I voiced my confusion. "Did they mean here or..."

"Or where I had planned to take you." Godric finished for me with a nod. "It is curious. It could mean that there are spies on the house, which wouldn't surprise me."

"They obviously knew where we lived considering they tried to take Eric out, only that failed because of me."

"Or it could mean that we have a traitor in our mix." Godric frowned at that prospect. It was hard to believe that anyone in our circle would betray us. Would a vampire turn on its own kind? Then again, there were certain vampires that wouldn't mind another certain vampire to be out of the picture politically. I voiced this thought to Godric, and while he took a moment to consider it, he only shook his head in disagreement. "Stan wouldn't do such a thing. He may thrive for power, but he detests the Fellowship. He would rather meet the true death than to work alongside of them."

"Then who could possibly be a traitor?" I wondered, trying to rack my brains for any odd behaviour lately from anyone. But nothing stuck out, nothing rang any warning bells.

"Perhaps we're only thinking the worse." Godric offered. "We could simply have spies watching our every move."

"That's a far scarier thought, Godric." I shuddered at the mere though. I would almost rather there be a traitor in our circle. If there were spies watching us at all times, that frightened me. I felt like I was stuck in the middle of a movie, and it was nothing like the romantic, girl gets the guy sort of movie that I had been thrust into a few months ago. This movie was full of lies and deceit, and usually someone always dies by the end of it. But this was life and not a movie, and I prayed to god that it wouldn't turn out that way.

"So what do we do?" I looked up at Godric, his blue orbs boring into mine. "Do we just sit here waiting for them attack, or do we go out and figure that they won't follow us."

"I don't believe it'll be safe if we leave." Godric shook his head.

"Unless they think that we're going to stay here, and then leaving would be the safest bet." I pointed out.

Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "This was not what I had expected tonight to be."

"Whenever we plan a nice calm evening, something always goes wrong."

"It does indeed." He nodded, his arms tightening around me. "Whatever happens tonight, my love, know that I love you and I would die protecting you."

"Hey," I cupped both of his cheeks, cradling his head in my hands. "I thought I told you not to talk like that."

"I won't lose you, Taylor, and if that means that I must sacrifice myself to..."

"Don't." I silenced him with my lips, my tongue flicking across his bottom lip before pulling apart and staring him dead in the eye. "Don't even think about saying it. It won't come down to that. We will both get through tonight, we have to."

"Taylor, I'm only being realistic."

"Well one of us has to be optimistic. I would rather be scared out of my mind, but that's not going to help anything." I forced on a determined smile. "If they want to attack us, then fine, let them attack. We'll just fight back. We're stronger than they are."

"I don't wish for bloodshed."

"Neither do I, but if the time comes for it..." I trailed off, not sure how he would respond.

"If the time comes for my inner demons to consume me in order to protect you, then I will gladly become a monster tonight." he raised a hand, the backs of his fingers caressing my cheek. "I will become a monster for you tonight if I have to."

"I don't want you to." I replied honestly. "I know that's a side of you that you wish you could just forget about."

"But you matter more to me." he leaned forward, his lips ghosting against mine. "I would go to the ends of the world for you, my sweet one, and I mean that with all of my heart."

"Ditto."

Godric and I spent a little over an hour discussing the possibilities of what to expect or what we would do. I still wasn't sure if being here or going out would be the safer idea. On one hand, if we were out in the open, it might be easier for them to attack. But if they were planning on attacking here, then we were sitting ducks. There were just no good scenario on our hands and I just wished that my vision showed me even a minute more of that conversation, or what was planned. We didn't have a whole lot to go on, and that didn't ease my nerves at all. I tried to be optimistic, but with every passing minute, I was getting more and more frustrated.

"Maybe we should just go and blow them all up." I muttered bitterly. I hated that my night was ruined because of these psychotic crazies, and even more, I hated that they were trying to ruin what Godric and I had.

"Now you're sounding as rash as Stan." Godric chuckled lightly, earning a glare to be thrown at him. "You know we can't do such a thing."

"Well I know that!" I sighed heavily. "I'm just tired of always having to look over my shoulder. Maybe that idiotic vampire has a point..."

Godric didn't have to say a word as he just sent me a pointed look. He didn't want to start a war with these people, and he liked it even less that I was trying to suggest such.

"Oh you know I don't actually mean it." I rolled my eyes. "I'm just tired of always feeling like this, Godric. I don't like the unknown; I've had that my entire life with my visions. I'm finally in a happy place in my life and these crazies are trying to ruin that!"

Godric sighed as he raised a hand and cupping my cheek. "I know, my love. I wish I could change this for you, I desperately wish that but I can't."

"So then what do we do?" I rubbed the bridge of my nose, this conversation beginning to exhaust me. I just wanted to curl up in bed, but I was too paranoid now to even possibly think about sleeping. If the Fellowship were planning on attacking us here, then we would all have to be on alert.

"I honestly don't know."

"You're supposed to know everything. You're two thousand years old."

His lips twitched upward. "And that requires me to know everything?"

"Yes." I crossed my arms stubbornly. "Yes it does."

Godric laughed, and I think it was one of the few true laughs I've ever heard from the vampire. It was nice to hear, and I could feel my own smile beginning to spread across my lips, but this wasn't the time for smiling and laughing. We had to make a plan, we had to figure out what to do.

"What are we going to do about tonight?" my lips curved downward into a frown. "What if they..."

"If they attack us here, then we'll deal with it." He assured me, hooking a finger under my chin and leaned forward, his lips capturing mine. "I won't let another soul hurt you, my beautiful seer."

"I just wish I could have seen more."

"You're only shown what's needed to be shown." Godric explained.

"Well it's a crappy system." I grumbled.

"I'll protect you, my love. I won't let them take you away from me. We can't change what will happen; a very wise girl taught me that."

"How can you be so calm about this? You were freaking out not that long ago." I raised an eyebrow at him, surprised at how well he was adjusting to this news. We could be attacked tonight and he was quoting me? What was wrong with him?

"One of us has to be optimistic." He offered a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "Ha ha."

"I'm worried just as much as you are. But I hate to see you like this, Taylor. I hate to see you scared and worried. So if I must put that aside to help you, to keep you safe, then I will." He stole another short but sweet kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." I sighed but nodded. "I'm just..."

"I know my love, as am I."

* * *

We waited for an attack.

We waited for the Fellowship to attack the house, to try and kidnap me.

But it just never happened. As the hours wore on, as my worry and frustrations built, nothing out of the ordinary happened. The vampires eventually filtered out of the room as dawn began to approach, leaving only Isabel, Stan, and the two of us alone in the nest. I was still worried that they would take us by surprise, probably near dawn, and attack. As the vampires fell into their dead slumber, I remained awake, ensuring that all the drapes were drawn across the windows, that all the doors were securely locked and fastened. I laid awake in Godric's dead arms, my eyes wide open, just waiting for a disturbance. But one never came. The morning was silent, except for my paranoid racing heart. The afternoon was the same, and somewhere along the way, I drifted off to sleep, only to be awoken a few hours later by the sound of the shower turning off and a form walking around the room.

I groaned as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, my orbs slowly fluttering open. The only light that lit the dark room was that of the bathroom. I felt around me, searching for Godric, but found that he was already awake and must have been the one walking around. I wasn't yet fully awake, fully aware of everything around me, and when a pair of hands began to slide down my back and around my sides, I let out an ear piercing scream and began struggling. Was this the fellowship attacking? Had I been wrong in going to sleep, in thinking everything was peaceful and fine?

"Shh, my love, it's only me." Godric's soothing voice sounded in my ear.

I sighed in relief, though my cheeks burned a bright red in embarrassment.

"You're safe, my sweet one."

I felt his lips brush across the back of my neck, Godric sweeping my hair over one shoulder as I laid there on my side. I let out a soft moan as his hands began to travel down my body and to the hem of the short silky nightgown I was wearing. My eyes fluttered back close as I leaned against Godric, the vampire sliding back onto the bed behind me as his fingers dancing across my thighs. I parted them, letting his fingers access my suddenly aroused core. I bit down hard on my bottom lip when I felt Godric first touch me, his fingers as light as a feather moving across my most sensitive area. I let out another moan, my body trembling against his as his fingers began probing inside of me, first one finger and then another. Godric knew just how to relax me, to ease my worries and fears, and he was doing just that right now.

"Just release your fears." Godric whispered into my ear, his fangs extending as they grazed along my neck. "Just let yourself go."

The tension of my body vanished as his fingers began pumping away inside of me, stroking me in ways I had never thought possible until this vampire had entered my life. I could feel my orgasm rising, the pleasure surging through my body. I was almost there as another finger joined the others, the pace of his fingers faster than anything I could have imagined. A gasp sounded from my lips as the world began to swirl around me, my eyes flashing open as colours meshed into one another, the orgasm bursting inside of me.

And just like that, I was suddenly thrown from that room and into a house I had never seen before in my life. My body was still shaking from the orgasm, cries of pleasure emitting from my lips, and yet consciously, I wasn't even there. I looked around me, trying to place where I was when I began to hear a familiar voice. I moved through the house until I came upon the large goon of Gabe, leaning against the wall while Steve and Sarah Newlin argued. I eyed Gabe as I hurried passed him to listen in on what psychotic plan Steve was coming up with now.

"_Steve...Steve we're supposed to be partners." _

"_We are partners." Steve tried to assure his wife._

"_Then why does Gabe always know more than I do." Sarah argued._

"_I don't have time for this." Annoyance crossed Steve's face as he shot Sarah one last look before waltzing over to the large goon._

"_You mean you don't have time for me!" Sarah looked perplexed, and I raised an eyebrow at the two lovebirds that seemed to be coming out of their honeymoon lovey dovey stage._

"_This is very valuable information, Gabe." Steve handed a handful of papers to Gabe."Excellent work."_

"_I told you I don't care for this." Sarah stormed over angrily. "You're going too darn far."_

"_Thank you Reverend Newlin, I'll put things in motion." Gabe nodded at Steve._

"_You don't listen to me at all anymore." Sarah barely even glanced at Gabe as he left the room. "She's a human girl, Steve. She's just one of us."_

"_She's just as bad as that Fanger."_

"_You can't just keep her down there like some animal." Sarah shook her head and I was surprised at her guilt. Was she beginning to realize just how psychotic her husband really was? I knew they were talking about me. Who else could they possibly have hidden in their church? "I won't stand for this, Steve, this is going too far now."_

"_The girl and Godric will meet the sun together, Sarah." Steve sighed and kissed his wife on the forehead. "They'll both be burned for their sins. She is just as guilty as the vampire."_

"_But this is murder."_

"_She's a demon, Sarah honey. We're doing the world a favour. She is the reason innocent lives have been taken." Steve flashed that ridiculous smile. "Once Godric comes looking for her, everything will be set in motion."_

"_How do you even know that he'll come?"_

"_Because he loves her."_

"Taylor?" a hand began shaking my form.

I gasped and shot up as I was pulled back into reality from the vision, my eyes growing wide as they darted around the room. It took me a moment to realize that I was still safely tucked into bed with Godric, his fingers now sliding out of me as he wrapped his arms around me securely.

"I...I had another vision." I whispered, looking at Godric fearfully.

A look of worry swept across his face as he brushed away a stray tear as it slid down my cheek.

"They want you to meet the sun. He...he wants us both to." My body began to shake. "Godric they want to kill us."

"I won't let them lay a single finger on you." Godric assured me, pulling me against his chest. "I'll do everything in my power to stop it."

But I wasn't so sure this could be stopped. The fellowship hadn't attacked last night, which only meant that the vision from last night was meant for one night in the future. When? We couldn't be sure. It could be tonight, it could be a week from now, or even months down the road. But one night, when we're not suspecting it, the fellowship will attack and they _will _kidnap me. But that's not the worst of it. Because of this new vision, I knew Steve's evil plans that even his own wife was against. They weren't only going to kill Godric, for him to meet the sun alone. Oh no, they were planning on me burning right alongside of him.

* * *

A week passed without any sort of attack by the fellowship. I tried desperately to have another vision, but my nerves were shot and I just couldn't concentrate long enough to see a single thing. I knew Godric was worried about me, worried about everything, but there was nothing he could do or say to calm me down. I was freaking out, I was panicking. It felt like I was powerless to stop what was inevitable. I knew from the beginning, from the very first time I had that vision of being kidnapped, that it was possible, that it could happen. I tried not to believe it, tried to believe that Godric could keep me safe, could protect me against the church. But now I felt powerless, I felt helpless to stop what was only on the horizon. And the worst part was, we didn't know when it would happen.

We tried to keep what we knew to a minimum, just in case there was a traitor in our mix. Not even Isabel, who I knew I could trust with my life, was privy to the information. I didn't even think for a second that we could trust Stan, knowing that giving him another reason to take down the church would be the worst idea. But lately, I've been wondering if maybe he had the right idea. Strike them before they could strike us. It wasn't a sane idea by any means, but I was being driven insane by just sitting here, not able to do a damn thing.

"My love, please stop worrying." Godric came to me one night as I sat curled up in the living room, my eyes locked on the blank television screen. "It pains me to feel your fear constantly."

"I can't help it." I shrugged.

"I know, but this isn't healthy, Taylor." Godric sighed, hooking a finger under my chin and pulling my gaze to meet his. "You've been exhausting yourself trying to have another vision, and when you're not doing that, you're worrying yourself to the point that you won't sleep or eat. You need to stop this."

"How can I?" I pulled away from him while shaking my head. "I can't just put a smile on my face when there are people out there trying to kidnap me!"

"I know..."

"No you don't know!" I jumped off of the couch and wrapped my own arms around me. "You're a powerful vampire, Godric. If they attack us, you'll be able to fight back against them. What am I supposed to do if that happens? How am I supposed to protect myself? I try and act strong, but I know I'm just a nineteen year old girl. I'm powerless to stop all of this!"

"I won't let them hurt you." Godric stood and began towards me.

I backed away from him however. "But that will only put you in more danger. They want to kill us both, Godric, they want to watch you burn in the sunlight, while I burn right alongside of you. But I'm sure they wouldn't hesitate to kill you before that if they had to."

"Taylor..."

"I'm scared, Godric. This isn't like with Damien. You can't just call up Eric and have him come protect me. We don't know when this will happen. We don't know when that vision is supposed to occur. Why can't I just know? Why can't I see it?" tears were beginning to cascade down my cheeks. "I hate this! I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!"

I struggled against Godric's arms as he tried to wrap them securely around me in comfort. He was too strong however, and was able to pull me against his chest with ease. I tried to pound at his chest, but I knew he wouldn't feel a thing. Eventually I tired myself out, the tears blurring my vision completely as I just broke down in Godric's arms. My legs felt weak, but his arms held me up, one of his hands soothingly stroking my hair while whispering encouraging words in my ear. Nothing he could say or do could ease my fear however. Only when this was over and done with would my fear fade away once and for all.

"Let me help you." He coaxed after a few minutes. "Let me take your mind off of this, just for one night, just for a few hours."

"How?" I asked in a small voice, my tears beginning to dry on my cheeks.

"Let me take you out."

I looked up at him like he had two heads. "Take me out? When there are people that want to kill us?"

"I know the risks." He began brushing away the tears, a small smile appearing on his lips. "But I also know what this is doing to you. It's tearing you apart. You hardly eat and I know that you don't sleep anymore."

"I'm too scared to." I admitted softly.

"Well then let me take your mind off of everything, just for a little while." His lips dipped down, brushing across both cheeks before ghosting over my own lips. "Let me take you to dinner. We'll be surrounded by vampires at our usual restaurant. They won't think to attack us when the odds will be against them."

I knew he was right about that. The fellowship might be a group of crazies, but I didn't think they were idiotic enough to attack a restaurant full of vampires that could kill them in only seconds. But then again, I didn't think they were radical enough to kill an innocent human just because she spent time with vampires.

"What if..."

"I won't let anything happen to you, my precious little seer. I will protect you with my life if I have to. You will never have to fear when I'm with you." He assured me, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. "I won't let them hurt you."

"I know you won't." I sighed. "I'm just worried."

"As am I, but I think it's time that we stopped worrying and started to live our lives. If they attack us, then they'll wish that they never had. I will kill each and every one of them if I have to to keep you safe."

I knew he would too. He didn't want to be a monster, but I could see it in those beautiful blue eyes of his that he would kill anyone that tried to harm me. And it was for that reason that I began to relax, that for the first time in a week, I shoved my worries to the back of my head and tried to just have a nice quiet evening with the man that I loved.

I should have known, however, that it wouldn't end as quiet as it began.

* * *

Dinner was a welcome distraction. Godric was right, I did need a few hours to get dressed up and enjoy a nice evening out. I couldn't even imagine going through this without him. Then again, if he hadn't been in the picture, than the fellowship wouldn't be setting their sights on me. I couldn't help but remember what Steve had said in my vision. I had caused innocent lives to be taken. I knew he was talking about those men that had attacked me all those months ago when I had first arrived, the same men who I had seen killing Godric in my vision before I had even jumped on a plane to come to Dallas. One had gotten away that night, and of course he had run to the fellowship, claiming that I was an 'evil whore of Satan' that had been the cause of their deaths.

"Taylor?" Godric pulled me back to the present with a frown settled on his lips.

"Sorry." I sighed and brushed the hair off my shoulder as we stood, Godric having already paid the bill. "I was just..."

"Thinking." He nodded, raising a hand to cup my cheek. "I thought you promised not to do that."

"I can't help it." I shrugged.

"I know my love." His hand slipped into mine as he led the way out of the restaurant and into the filled parking lot. I started to move towards Godric's parked car when the vampire suddenly pulled me back, twirling me right into his two strong arms. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh as I smiled up at him. He always knew how to put a smile on my face even though all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. "You're beautiful tonight."

"You're not so bad yourself." I commented on the off white dress shirt that he wore, the sleeves rolled up almost to his shoulders. With the matching linen pants, and those striking blue eyes, Godric looked breathtaking tonight. "Though, did you realize your shirt was see through?"

"Are you complaining?" He teased, kissing the top of my nose.

"Not at all. You could go naked if you want and I'd be happy." My smile widened.

"Hm, only if you'd do the same." He lowered his lips down to the base of my neck, his tongue flicking out to tease me.

"Clothes should be forbidden." I chuckled before a moan escaped my lips. I held onto his strong arms as Godric just about attacked my neck with his lips and I knew the moment we were home and were locked behind his bedroom door that our clothes would be nothing more than a pile on the ground. But for now, the feminine white dress with light purple stitching was going to have to stay on my body. At least until we got into the car. That wasn't too taboo, right?

"I couldn't agree more." he nipped gently at my earlobe, another moan emitting from my lips before he trailed his lips across my jaw and stole a short, but sweet kiss. "Perhaps we should..."

"Go before we end up getting down and dirty right here in the parking lot?" I raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Yeah that would probably be a good idea."

Before I knew it, we were settled in Godric's silver car, the vampire being insistent to drive tonight. I still hadn't gotten used to his terrifying driving style, but I distracted myself by intertwining my fingers through his, my eyes focused on his tattoos and not the outside world blurring past us.

"Thanks for tonight." I commented as Godric turned a few corners. I cringed but tried not to let it show that his driving still scared the living daylights out of me. It was one of the reasons I always liked being the one to drive. I loved Godric, but I could do without his driving. "I really needed it."

"It brings me joy to see that smile on your face. I haven't seen it in awhile." His hand squeezed mine.

"You were right, as always." I laughed lightly. "Nothing happened. I guess I was just being paranoid."

"You were worried and scared. It's only natural." He raised our clasped hands to his lips, brushing them against the top of my hand. "I love you."

"I love you even more." I grinned at the vampire. "I can't believe I got so lucky."

"I'm the lucky one, my love."

I shook my head, the smile permanent on my lips as I risked glancing out the window. I almost wished I hadn't as the moment my eyes focused on the van speeding towards us as we passed through an intersection, I knew what was about to happen.

"Godric watch..."

I never got the entire warning out however, before the van slammed right into the passenger side of the car, spinning the vehicle around in circles as Godric tried to take control of the car. A scream sounded in the car and it took a minute to realise it was coming from my own lips before the side of my head hit the window with such force, every possible sound ceased. My vision blurred, black dots invading as I fought to keep conscious. It was a struggle however, as pain erupted in my head, the familiar feel of blood beginning to trickle down the side of my head. When the car finally did come to a stop, now on the opposite side of the road, I could barely even feet my own legs. I tried to whimper out in pain, I tried to answer Godric's frantic calls, but my body slumped against the restraint of the seat belt, not a sound emitting from my lips.

I blacked out, but only for a moment, as when my eyes opened, I found a group of men bursting from the back of the dark coloured van, silver, stakes, and guns in their hands. I fought against my blurry vision to focus on the men, but couldn't see much of anything. Not until the driver of the van slipped out and began towards the car, barking orders at the others. Gabe. I would recognize that sadistic smirk anywhere.

I lost track of time, of everything around me as I stared through my heavy eyelids at Gabe, our gazes connecting. Fear shot through me at the cruel look in those dark orbs. He gave Eric a run for his money. I never even realized Godric had gotten out of the car and raced over to my side, ripping the passenger side door off as he did so. I felt a tear of fabric before my body slumped to the side, the seat belt no longer holding me into the car. I felt arms lift me out of the car and place me on the hard ground, glass littered around me.

"Taylor? Taylor can you hear me? Talk to me, my love." Godric used his body to shield me from the men that had crowded around the car, not caring that he was in the perfect position to be killed right then and there by even these idiots. But as he had promised, he would give his life for mine. "Please my love, stay with me."

"G-Godric..." I managed out before a coughing fit began. A metallic taste entered my mouth and it took a moment before I realized it was my own blood. I groaned as my head slumped forward, the blood still pouring from the side. I still couldn't feel my right leg. The left ached, but as I moved it ever so slightly, it was still in working order. I knew feeling numb was never good. If you couldn't feel the pain, that usually meant something was very wrong. "M-my leg."

I could tell by the look on Godric's face that it wasn't good. I stole a glance downward and I was sickened by the odd angle my leg below my knee was now at. I could feel the tears sliding down my cheek, mixing with my own blood. I tried to raise a shaky hand to wipe them away, but I barely had enough energy to just blink.

"Shh, my love, you'll be alright." I faintly heard Godric rip into his wrist before his blood was forced passed my lips. "Drink, Taylor, drink what you can."

"Fellowship..." I whispered out before licking at the blood, sucking what I could of it.

"Shh." He stroked my hair, though his body had stiffened, his fangs extending with a click.

I could already feel his blood working. It didn't erase the blood, but the pain began to ease in the side of my head, stitching itself together. The numbness in my leg suddenly burst into pain before slowly subsiding. There was still an ache in my right leg however, when Godric had to pull his wrist away, the wound healing immediately.

"My love, I need you to listen to me very closely." Godric whispered into my ear as low as he possibly could without the fellowship followers hearing. "When I tell you to run, I need you to get as far away from here as you possibly can."

"But..."

"I can't fly us out of here, not without one of us being harmed. They're closing in around us and even at my speed, you could be hurt. I won't take that risk."

"Godric..."

"I'm going to distracted them." I felt a soft kiss on my neck in comfort. "I'm going to create a path for you. You need to run though, my love. Run as fast as you possibly can to safety. Get to the restaurant or call Isabel. Do whatever you must but you need to run."

"I don't want to leave you..."

Before I could finish however, a bark sounded from behind us. "Get up you fanger!"

Godric sighed as he kissed my temple one last time before he slowly began to rise, lifting by body up onto my wobbling feet as he did so. I knew what was about to happen. I knew he was going to willingly attack these humans to distract them long enough so I could escape. I wished he could just lift me into his arms and take off into the night sky, but as I eyed the number of men around us, the guns pointed solely on Godric's form, just a split second was all that was needed for one of us to be shot. If the bullets weren't wooden, then Godric may survive with just injuries, but if one of those bullets accidentally hit me, well I didn't exactly want a repeat performance of being shot.

But I also didn't want to leave Godric alone with these crazies. God only knows what they would do to him. They were psychotic enough to slam into our moving car, risking all of our lives. I was surprised I even made it out of the car alive. Even with Godric's blood, there was still an aching in my leg and it took a great deal of strength to stay on both of my feet. I had no idea how I would be able to run without being caught. But I had to at least try. Because getting kidnapped and killed was the last thing I wanted.

"I love you." Godric murmured as he slowly turned around, making sure to keep his body shielding mine as he did so.

"Please don't die on me." I whispered back fearfully.

Godric never replied as Gabe stepped forward, his eyes darting between Godric and I. When his glance well on me, he licked his lips and I could just imagine the horrible thoughts running through his head at that moment. I shuddered against Godric, wishing he could just snap his neck. But the moment he went to try that, I knew the others would shoot him, would grab at him with their silver.

"Taylor..." Godric's voice was a low growl as his hissed at the humans around us.

I prepared myself, watching his head turn to the right. I knew what he was telling me and I slowly began to inch in that direction. Without warning, Godric leapt at those that would be in my path, grabbing hold of two humans and throwing them right over the destroyed car and to the other side. I heard the scream of the humans and I knew they were too afraid of Godric to even shoot their guns. I felt relief in that thought as Godric took care of one last human before throwing me a look.

"Run!"

I didn't need to be told twice as I darted across the street and into a park that sat there. I winced with every step, the pain shooting right up my leg. A few more drops of blood and I would have been healed completely. But we just didn't have that time. I would have to suck it up and run as fast as I could. I was halfway through the park, close to the other side when I risked a glance over my shoulder. I found the van was now nowhere to be found, some of the humans missing as well. That caused me to panic but I tried not to dwell on that thought and instead watched as Godric easily battled against the remaining fellowship followers. A few gunshots rang, but either they missed Godric completely, or they caught him in a limb nowhere near his heart. My chest tightened still and I had a wild thought to turn around and help him. But I knew that wouldn't do either of us any good. So instead, I kept running, I kept my gaze on that street leading into a residential area. Maybe if I could find a house, find a kind couple that would let me in and use their phone...

Before I even reached the street however, that van, that god damn van slid right up onto the sidewalk and came to a stop. I cried out in both frustration and pain as I was forced to an immediate stop. I was frozen to the spot as Gabe and two other men jumped out of the van, slowly making their way towards me. It took only a moment before I came to my senses and took off in another direction. My leg slowed me down however, and it wasn't long before I felt a presence behind me, an arm wrapping around my waist and yanking me right off my feet roughly. I tried to scream, tried to fight back with all of my might, but a cloth was pressed against my nose and mouth, forcing me to breathe in the chemical fumes it was drenched in. I tried to keep from doing so but it was inevitable, and it didn't take very long before my body grew limp, but eyes fluttering closed in unconsciousness.


	29. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Chapter Twenty Eight:**

I had a rare moment of complete clarity when I came to, when whatever that cloth had been drenched in had worn off. I knew right away where I was, what had happened. I knew I had been kidnapped, I knew I was in that van, with only a single man sitting across from me looking more scared of his shadow than of anything else. There was only a small barred window leading to the front, but my vision was still too blurry for me to tell where we possibly were driving. I had a rough idea though. I knew eventually I would end up at the church so that's where I hoped this van was driving us. Eventually the smooth road beneath us turned bumped, the van bouncing underneath me to the point that I couldn't help but groan out in pain.

"What was that?" the man – no boy – just about screamed, scrambling as close as he could to the front.

I blinked away the invading black dots as I raised a shaky hand up to my head. I still felt a little out of it, I still felt woozy and nauseous, but I was awake enough to tell that these idiots hadn't planned my kidnap well enough to at least tie me up. I could have tried to take advantage of that, but I eyed the gun that the boy not much older than me was holding so tightly in his hands I was surprised he hadn't accidentally shot his foot.

"Guys she's waking up!" the boy began to panic, pounding on wall that separated the front of the van and the back.

"Did you use enough of that crap to knock her out?" I caught sight of an unfamiliar pair of eyes peering through the small window. I struggled to sit up, but the rocky road beneath us made it impossible. The bumps shot pain right up my leg, another groan emitting from my lips. "Fuck, Garrett! You were supposed to knock her out!"

"I did!" the boy, Garrett, insisted.

"Not long enough!" the other one shook his head before a gruff voice sounded from the driver's seat.

"Don't touch her, kid. She's mine when Newlin is done with her."

I was surprised at the sickened look on the boy's face at Gabe's comment. I was sure he hadn't imagined he would be doing anything like this when he signed up to be part of the church.

"We're almost there." the other man in the front assured the boy. "Just keep her quiet and make sure she doesn't do anything funny. There's silver back there if you need it."

"She's human, it won't do anything to her." the panic was still growing in the boy's voice.

"You can tie her up, you idiot."

"Oh..." Garrett trailed off, never taking his gaze off of me.

I didn't bother to try and escape. Where would I go? If they were taking me to the church, and by the feel of the road we were on, I wouldn't be able to make a run for help. We had lost civilization a few miles back and now I was on my own. I could only hope that Godric would realize that I had been taken and...

I quickly ended that though however. If he did come, like he did in my visions, then I knew the fate that would be waiting for us. And that was the last thing I wanted. I didn't want to die, and I certainly didn't want that for Godric either. Maybe I would be able to outsmart these idiotic crazies at some point. They had already messed up big time. If they were all idiots like this boy was, then maybe I'd be able to find an escape route. It was unlikely, but I needed to become alert now, I had to come up with a plan and be smart. I was on my own, at least for now. Maybe Godric would call Eric in, who knew the situation better than anyone else, and the two would be able to come up with some grand rescue scheme to save my life and not risk their own. That too was unlikely, but I could hope, right?

My leg and back was grateful when the van finally came to a stop. I grunted, but was relieved that there would be no more bouncing around. I braced myself as I heard the van doors close before the doors behind me began opening. I had gotten myself propped up onto my elbows, my stare focused on the doors as they opened completely, revealing a middle aged man with a beer gut and Gabe. The sight of that cruel man caused me to panic and stupidly start to struggle. I couldn't help it though. The look he was constantly sending me scared me. I was glad I was able to see the future, and not be cursed with hearing other people's thoughts. I didn't want to know what was going through that sick head of his.

"Grab onto her, Garrett." Gabe ordered, backing away as the beer gut man and the boy grabbed onto my arms and yanked me right out of the van. Gravity took over and I started to fall, not able to grab hold of anything to keep upright. Gabe grabbed me by the hair however and yanked me onto my unsteady feet, a cry of pain emitting form my lips. The boy cringed beside me, his hold not very tight unlike the middle aged man who was digging his fingers so hard into my arm that I thought it was just going to pop off. "Time to cleanse your soul, little girl."

He disgusted me and I could feel his eyes on me the entire time the two dragged me into what I could make out to be a church. It was dark, hardly any lights on. My vision was still a bit blurry and with my feet unable to really work, I wasn't being much help at all to the two men dragging me. Even though I knew it was hopeless, I did try to struggle. I tried to pull out of their grasps, though I knew that even if I did get away, I wouldn't have been able to get far with my unsteady form. It did scare the boy however, and he dropped his hold on me a couple times. This only caused me to nearly slip to the ground until Gabe finally pushed the boy down to the ground and grabbed me instead. His grip hurt much worse than the other man and I winced in pain as he pulled me as roughly as he could through a pair of double doors. The light was bright inside and I tried to pull away, my eyes snapping close from the sudden burn.

"Well well, our guest had finally arrived!"

That voice. I would know it from anywhere. That was the voice of the man that had haunted me for months now. The thought of this man holding me captive sent a shiver up my spine. How could such a ridiculous asshole come up with such a plan? I prayed that God would smite him sometime in the new future. I knew for certain that he would take a trip downstairs when his time came to an end.

"Reverend Newlin." Gabe played nice with only his words as he suddenly shoved me down onto the ground without any remorse.

I grunted as I was met with the cold tiled ground. I tried to lift myself up, but I just didn't have the strength. Between the car accident, Godric's blood, and whatever these crazies had knocked me out with, my body was just worn out. The aching in my leg had grown, and a headache had suddenly appeared. I knew however, I would have a lot more abuse in my near future, and I braced my body for what was to come.

"I never thought I'd meet you in person, Miss Edwards. It's an honour." Steve Newlin sounded like he was meeting the President of the United States instead of the girl he just kidnapped. "I'm glad you could join us tonight."

"Like I had any choice." I grumbled, my teeth clenched together as a hand curled around my long locks and yanked me up onto my knees. I whimpered, my hands clawing at Gabe's clenching fingers until he finally let go. I had to hold myself upright, but was able to do so, though I still felt wobbly and nauseous. I blinked rapidly for a moment before looking up to the man before me. A bright light blinded me for a moment before his form came into view. He was wearing khakis and a blue polo shirt, looking just as smug and ridiculous as he did on TV. I wanted to smack that look right off his face, but knew that even if I did have the courage, I just didn't have the strength.

"Oh of course you had the choice, Taylor, may I call you Taylor? We all have the choice and unfortunately, you chose Satan's creatures over your own kind." He knelt down beside me, looking at me like he was instead scolding a small child for stealing a cookie before dinnertime. "You brought this on yourself, Taylor. This could all have been avoided if you hadn't of let those monsters brainwash you."

"You're the one brainwashing innocent people." I spat at him angrily. I may have felt weak, I may have felt like curling up in a ball at the moment, but that didn't mean my spirit was broken. I felt the fire; I felt the hot anger that flashed inside of me. These people may have kidnapped me, they may have plans to kill me, but they wouldn't break me. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

"Now now, Taylor, that isn't very nice." Steve shook his head. "I could help you if you let me."

"Help me how? By cleansing my soul? By feeding me your bullshit?"

"The words of God are anything but bullshit." He looked appalled. "He's ashamed of you, did you know that, Taylor. You've shamed God with your actions. You've broken commandments. You've sinned, and you're only just a child. You can still be forgiven though..."

He raised a hand to brush the hair out of my eyes but I just pulled away from him, spitting at him directly in the eye. He didn't look one bit happy as he rose up onto his feet, wiping away the spit from his eye.

"All hope is lost for you, you whore of Satan." He sneered in disgust. "Take her down to the basement, Gabe. And then we'll wait for her little vampire to come running."

"Don't you dare even think about hurting him." I growled dangerously low. "Godric will..."

"Godric will kill me? Well then he can go right ahead. It'll only prove my point that vampires are all monsters." A smirk spread across Steve's face. "I have special plans for the both of you, just you wait."

Gabe grabbed me then, hiking me up onto my feet before throwing me over his shoulder with ease. I chose that moment to fight back with all of my might. I kicked, I screamed, I even scratched at Gabe's back. It did nothing at all, but I wouldn't go down without a fight, that much I knew. Steve just watched me with that damn smirk on his face before Gabe turned a corner and began for the basement. I just prayed to god that Godric didn't do exactly what Steve hoped for, and that was running in here acting like a hero.

It didn't take long for Gabe to take me down to the basement and throw me down onto the hard cement floor. I let out a cry of pain as I tried to curl up in a ball and crawl away from the monster, but Gabe grabbed onto me and shoved me into one of the metal shelving units, the pain racking through my body. I was crying as I tried to slam my fists at him, hoping for a good shot. I must have gotten one, as Gabe let out a grunt before grabbing onto my right wrist and twisting painfully. A scream emitted my lips this time as he twisted my wrist to such a degree that I heard a sickening crack before the pain became unbearable. That would explain the broken wrist in my first vision. I could have done without it of course.

I was blinded by the pain for a good few minutes and when I became alert, I felt silver handcuffs being forced around my wrists and looped through the bar of the same metal shelving unit I had been shoved into only moments before. I gasped out in pain as Gabe sent a few swift kicks to my ribs, my body curling up into a tight ball as he just laughed cruelly, slipped something over my eyes to blind me, and then just left. The tears cascaded down my cheeks, all the built up emotions from the past week finally spilling free. I knew this had been coming. I had been waiting for this for months and now finally it was here. But it wasn't any easier, knowing what was to come. In fact, it just made this all harder because I had a vague idea of the fate that was awaiting me in the coming days.

"Please god get me out of this."

* * *

I wasn't aware of the time passing. It could have been mere minutes, or even days as I sat there, blinded by the blindfold, my hands cuffed uncomfortably to the shelving unit behind me. I tried to shift to find a more comfortable position on the ground, but that would only send shock wave after shockwave of pain through my body. My broken wrist was only a dull ache when I remained perfectly still, though that feat was harder than I possibly thought. My leg had gone numb again, and I knew that wasn't a good thing at all though I was glad not to have another added pain. I was almost thankful for the blindfold, as I could spy the bright light shining in the basement and surely would have made my headache worse if I had been able to see. It were my ribs, however, that were still burning from Gabe's kicks. With every breath, pain swept through me, and it made me wonder if Gabe had broken something. I couldn't remember being in this much pain in my vision, but then again, a vision and what happened in reality were still two completely different things. I had saved both Eric and Godric's lives, changing fate. I might not have been able to save my own self this time, but things were still altered because of all the choices along the way.

I just prayed that maybe this meant that Godric and I wouldn't meet the fate Steve was planning for us. I wasn't sure how to get out of this predicament now. I tried to think, I tried to rack my brain for some sort of escape plan, but I just couldn't think straight. Between the pain and the worry over what Godric would do, I couldn't even try and formulate a plan to get out of here. And I knew that would hurt me in the coming hours and days. The longer I was here, the closer I was coming to my death. I needed to get out of here sooner rather than later.

I had been so lost in my own thoughts that I hadn't heard the footsteps approach until I heard a cage door creak open. I froze, hoping that if I didn't make a sound, that I would be left alone. That was only wishful thinking however, as I felt rough hands crushing my wrists as the handcuffs were yanked off. I let out a painful cry as I was tugged onto my feet by my wrists. There were tears streaming down my cheeks from the sheer pain. It felt like my wrist was being pulled right off my body, that was how painful it felt. It was a different pain than being bitten by Damien. But it didn't mean it hurt any less. I knew a broken wrist wouldn't kill me, unlike the vicious attack by that psychotic vampire. The pain however, still felt unbearable and I would have given anything to have it just stop. I would rather the pain numb, despite the long term effects. Just anything to make it stop.

"I have a surprise for you." Steve's excited voice sounded from before me.

The blindfold was lifted my eyes and I hissed as the bright light above me burned my eyes. I tried to look away, but Gabe grabbed onto my chin and forced me to stare Steve in the eye. I felt disgusted by that smug look on Steve's face, like he was proud of himself for this. How could he be happy about kidnapping an innocent human girl? I wasn't a vampire; I wasn't the creature he detested. And yet because of who I was associated with, I was going to be killed for it. The bastard.

"Go to hell." The voice was raspy, my throat aching as I spat out at him.

"I won't be the one going to hell, Taylor." Steve's smirk widened. "But you on the other hand, you're soul will be condemned for your sins."

"You have no right to kidnap me for who I associate with." I glared darkly at the psychotic reverend.

"What about the innocent lives that were taken because of you?"

"They were going to rape me. They were planning on killing me." I argued.

"But it was their lives that were taken by your precious vampire." Steve shook his head in disgust. "You're a witch, Taylor. You're Satan's whore, and you will be punished for your sins."

"You're a psychotic bastard." I started to struggle against Gabe's strong grip on my upper arms. The pain racked my body but I didn't care. At that moment, I just wanted to wipe that look right off of his face. He angered me so much. He wanted to take so many innocent lives for no reason and he was brainwashing hundreds of people while he was doing so. He disgusted me. He sickened me to my very core and I couldn't wait to get my hands on him.

"Now now, is that any way to treat someone who has a surprise for you?" Steve stepped forward, that smug look back attached to his face once again.

I spat at him again. My wad of spit hit him on the chin this time, but he barely even looked fazed by it at all. He merely wiped my spit away as if nothing had happened and nodded at Gabe. I yelped, my tears multiplying as he suddenly twisted my broken wrist. I let out an ear piercing scream as my legs collapsed beneath me, my form falling to the ground with my wrist still in Gabe's clutches.

"You should remember, Taylor," Steve knelt down beside me. "That you're fate is in my hands. I could still help you. All you would have to do is join us. We could cleanse your soul. We could give you a second chance."

"I'd rather..." I gasped out as Gabe finally let go of my wrist and I nursed it against my chest. "Go to hell."

"Well I guess I have no other choice than." Steve sighed before shaking his head and standing. "We have a visitor, Taylor. I think you'll recognize him. Gabe, if you will?"

Gabe this time grabbed me by my long locks and pulled me up to my feet. My legs couldn't keep me up however, and I fell back to the ground. Gabe just grunted as he threw me back over his shoulder as he had done earlier. I didn't fight this time however. The pain was too unimaginable, Gabe's broad shoulder digging right into my burning ribs. With every step upwards and out of the basement, it felt like my body was on fire, like it was breaking in half. I tried to keep my cries to a minimum, but it was just no use. My cries of pain rang out in the church until Gabe to a complete stop, throwing my abused body onto the hard ground. I screamed as the pain inflamed, nearly knocking me unconscious. My vision was severed for a moment as the pain blinded me. I curled up into a ball, praying to god that he would just hurry this punishment up. Whatever was in the cards for me, whether it be death or making it out of this alive, I wished he would just let it happen already.

"Taylor." A familiar voice sounded in my ear, a soothing hand stroking my tear stained cheek.

"G-Godric?" I managed out, my vision clearing as I found those bright blue eyes staring down at me in fear and concern. My heart dropped at seeing the vampire. Because I knew what this meant. Godric had come to offer himself in my place. He had come to negotiate for my life, just as he supposedly had done in my vision. Now we would both be trapped here, without any hope in hell.

"My love." He sighed, caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

"Leave...you have to leave." I tried to urge him.

"I'm sorry." He looked away, his gaze falling on the men surrounding us. "I came here tonight to hand myself over in exchange for Taylor's freedom."

"Isn't that just precious." Steve snickered as suddenly, I felt pairs of hands grab onto me from either side and yank me to my feet. Another scream escaped my lips as the pain shook my body. I whimpered as I hung there, only being held up by the two large men only a few years older than I was.

"I give you my life for hers."

"No!" I shook my head profusely, ignoring the aching in my skull. "No Godric please don't."

"Hush, Taylor." Godric shook his head at me, taking a few steps back as even more men began to surround us, all armed with silver and crosses. "Let me make this right."

"Please Godric. Please just leave, before they kill us both." I pleaded with him. I would rather endure this pain than for Godric to lose his life because of me. "Please, you can kill me; just don't hurt him."

"Taylor no."

"I don't want you to die, Godric."

"I'm sorry, my love. But I won't let them hurt you. Newlin, you will take me and leave my human be." Godric looked Steve dead in the eye as he said this.

I struggled against the grasps of the men holding me, ignoring the pain in my broken body. I didn't care about the pain anymore. I didn't care about any of it. I only cared about the vampire before me, about the vampire that was offering his life in exchange for mine.

"Godric no!" I shouted, finding a renewed strength as I desperately tried to escape.

"there's no other way, Taylor." Godric sighed, his gaze finding mine before turning to the smirking form of Steve Newlin. "I give myself to you in exchange for her life. She is not to be harmed. She is to be freed."

"This is disgusting." Steve shook his head in disgust. "Honestly, you want to save her, she wants to save you. You both deserve to go straight to hell."

"No." Godric narrowed his eyes, his fangs beginning to peek out. "You will let her go. You can do whatever it is you wish to me, but she will be freed."

"Godric, please." I begged with him, pleading for him not to do this. They were going to have him meet the sun. They were going to murder him. How could Godric be okay with this? "Please."

"I must do this." Godric flashed before us, scaring the men that had their hold on me. The moment I was released from their holds I threw my arms around Godric, not caring about any amount of pain. Godric sighed as he wrapped his arms around my form, his nose nuzzling in my hair. "I promised I would protect you, allow me to do that."

"Not like this. They'll kill you." I clutched onto him, refusing to let go.

"Of course we will. God would want it." Steve interjected. "Gentlemen, if you could..."

I felt hands on my shoulders, tugging me away from Godric. I fought to keep my hold on the vampire, but even he allowed his arms to fall to his side as I was dragged away from him.

"Do we have a deal?" Godric looked up at Steve with hate in his eyes. "You will free her in exchange for me."

"Making a deal with the devil." Steve frowned. "But I am a man of my word."

Godric looked relieved, and sent me an apologetic smile. The tears were becoming worse and I knew I was close to breaking down, knowing that I may never see Godric again.

"However..." Steve stepped between Godric and I, his gaze falling on me. "I don't think we should free this one just yet."

"Newlin." Godric growled viciously. "You will let her go if you are to have my life."

"Oh I promise not to harm her, though she is a despicable human being that would deserve everything that comes to her. She'll rot in hell one day, just as you will." Steve smirked.

"Let. Her. Go." Godric demanded.

"I think we'll have her watch. Perhaps it'll cleanse her soul, make her see the light. We can still save you, you know." Steve lowered himself until we were at eye level. "If you would only just let us."

I only glared at him as he waved his hands at the men holding me and they began dragging me back the way I had come, back to the basement.

"Godric!" I screamed for the vampire, flailing my limbs in an attempt to break free.

"Oh don't worry, I won't harm her. We can still salvage her soul." Steve turned back to Godric just as I was being pulled from the room. "Some silver chains for our guest, please."


	30. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Chapter Twenty Nine:**

I was given a moment to take in my surroundings after I was shoved back into my makeshift prison. It looked more like it was used for storing odds and ends than an innocent girl they wanted to kill. There were shelves of cleaning supplies, even a few discarded board games that left me feeling sick inside. I let my gaze fall to what lay on the other side of the locked chain link fence that trapped me in the small confined space. There was a door to my immediate right that I knew led upstairs to the main level of the church. There was a small narrow hallway, however, off to the left. I moved to the corner of the fence and tried to peer down the hallway, but found that my view was blocked. Was there a possible escape down that way? Or would it only lead deeper into the basement, deeper away from escaping these psychotic crazies.

I was relieved that the two that had pulled my flailing form down the stairs to the basement hadn't handcuffed me. I was given freedom to walk the five paces from one side to the other, but it at least gave me something to do while I waited, while I tried to think of a plan to get Godric and me out of here. At the mere thought of the vampire that I loved, I could feel the tears reforming back in my eyes. Why was he doing this? He could save both of our lives with ease. He was two thousand years old; he could kill each and every one of Steve Newlin's followers with ease. So why didn't he? We could have been far away from here by now. But instead, I was helpless and left wondering what would happen to Godric now. Would they just kill him tonight, or wait for the sun to rise and force him to burn into nothing but ash? Or would they wait and kill us both, like I had witnessed in my vision? Either option wasn't appealing, and I refused to believe there was no hope. Eventually people were going to realize we were missing. Isabel knew we had gone out to dinner, and once dawn came and we didn't return, she was going to be suspicious and sound the alarms, right? Once Eric knew Godric and I were missing, he would know where we were. He knew I was supposed to be kidnapped by the fellowship. He knew he had his own part to play. So we would be fine, even if we couldn't escape, right? Eric wouldn't just let his maker die; he loved him too much to let that happen.

I sighed as I sat on an overturned bucket, nursing my broken wrist to my chest. My ribs still burned, and I wouldn't be surprised if something was broken. It was my heart, however, that ached the worst. And it only grew worse when the basement door opened and two fellowship of the sun followers stepped into the basement, a silver chain being tugged like a leash. I gasped when I found Godric being led behind them as if he was nothing but an animal. I could smell his burning flesh from the silver, and the smell caused my stomach to churn in disgust. The tears were freely falling as I caught sight of Godric's arms. The silver chains were round up each arm nearly to his elbows, and while he had lived for over two thousand years and he was the strongest being I've ever met, even he had the difficulty of hiding the pain.

"Godric!" I jumped off of the bucket, ignored the burning flash of pain in my body, and dashed to the chain link fence. I grasped onto it, wishing I could just reach out to the vampire. He bowed his head sadly, not even looking me in the eye. I couldn't stop the sob that escaped my lips as I leaned against my prison, the tears cascading down my cheeks. "Godric please, you could..."

"I'm sorry." He whispered to me.

Our voices caused the followers to stop and sneer at us.

"Well isn't this touching? The fangbanging whore and the fanger are getting all teary eyed." One snarled while the other just laughed cruelly beside him. "Don't worry; you'll both be together again soon. In hell."

Godric surprised me by growling, one of his hands grasping around the chain and yanking the men towards him. He hissed in pain as the silver dug into the palm of his hand, but he ignored it and grasped onto the fronts of the follower's shirts.

"You will not speak ill of her. Do you understand me?" Godric caught their gazes, and I knew immediately they were easily glamoured. They were mindless sheep, following Steve Newlin blindly; it would be easy to capture their mind. "You will not touch a single hair on her body."

"We have orders..." the younger of the two responded in a monotone voice.

"I will kill you with my own bare hands." Godric threatened with a wild, dark look in his bright blue orbs, a look I rarely saw from the vampire. Only when he was protecting me, did he let this side of him out, did he let that monster from within out. I hated that I was the one to release this side of him that he hated, but a part of me couldn't help but feel more loved to know that he would go to any length to keep me safe.

And that included dying.

"You can't do this Godric. We can still get out of here." I tried to reason with him.

Godric sighed as he turned his attention onto me, and I caught sight of the bloody tears already forming in the corner of his eyes. "I'm sorry, my love. But this is the only way."

"No, there's other ways." I shook my head. "You can get us out of here and then we'll be fine."

"They'll only continue to come after us, come after you. I won't let them hurt you again, Taylor. I won't see you in pain again." there was determination in his voice.

"But we'll die." I choked on the words, my vision blurring with tears. "They're going to have you meet the sun, Godric. And they're going to have me right there alongside of you so I can burn to death too. Except mine won't be a quick death. It'll be long and painful and I can't..."

"I won't let that happen." Godric released the two, sending them a dark look as he stepped towards me. "Stay."

They both complied, though I wasn't sure if Godric was still glamouring them or if they were just too afraid of the vampire to disobey.

"My sweet love." Godric's voice turned soft as he stepped closer to the cage that was separating us. He raised a hand, as if to try and caress my cheek, but found it impossible. I pressed myself against the fence, resting my forehead against it. He did the same, and our flesh just barely touched. The sobs racked my body as I shook, barely able to keep myself upright. I hated this. I hated that we were both going to die in this predicament. I hated that I was going to lose Godric because of some judgemental crazies who saw the world in black and white. I hated that I could never kiss him again and feel those soft lips against mine. I hated that he could never hold me and stroke my hair, telling me everything was going to be alright. I hated that my body ached for his, but we would never going to be able to be together again. One day soon, if Isabel or Eric didn't come for us in enough time, Godric would be burned at the stake, and I would meet the same fate. Steve Newlin wasn't going to keep his word that I wouldn't be hurt, that I would only watch. No, he was going to kill me; he was going to _cleanse_ my soul in the only psychotic way he thought would work. And that scared me. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry, wishing that this was all some horrible nightmare I was going to wake up from.

But that wasn't the case. Because this was very real. This wasn't just a dream. This wasn't just some vision. This was reality. And man, did it ever suck.

"I will always love you, my sweet little seer." Godric raised his lips to my forehead, brushing them ever so slightly through an opening in the fence. I trembled, my ribs screaming out in pain. But I ignored them as I pressed against the cage even harder, wanting to feel as much of Godric as I possibly could. "If this is my true death, I'm thankful for learning the meaning of love. I'm grateful for having such an innocent human girl love me for who I am, and not for the monster that I was."

"Don't say that. Please don't say that." I shook my head, my gaze meeting his. "We're not going to die. You're not going to die. Please don't think like that."

A small sad smile spread across his lips as a tear escaped, staining his pale cheek. "I would die a hundred deaths for you, Taylor."

"But I don't want you to. I don't want you to die. Please Godric. Please don't do this." I was softly crying now.

"I must do this. They'll only continue until we're both dead..."

"They're going to kill both of us, Godric. They're going to..."

"I won't let that happen." Godric assured. "I'm giving my life for yours, Taylor. Please don't weep for me. I want this. I want to sacrifice myself to ensure that you can live your life to the fullest. You are a special girl, my love. You gave yourself to me out of love. You never judged me for what I was, and for that, I thank you. You gave me my most cherished gift in my long life, and that was your love. I will never forget you, little one. You've brought me a sense of happiness that I never knew existed."

"Stop talking like you're going to die. Please stop it." I wanted to reach out to him so badly. "We can still get out of this. Eric will come and..."

"If he does, I'll ensure that he saves you. You don't deserve this. You don't deserve death or to watch my life be taken. I want peace. I want to leave this world knowing that you are safe. He'll make sure of that."

"No, he'll hate me for getting you mixed up in all of this." I insisted.

"It was I who got you involved in this, not the other way around." He shook his head. "And for that I'm sorry. I never should have let myself grow attached to you. I should have kept my distance, like I told myself I had to."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because you had captured my heart long before either of us realized it. You saved my life without ever knowing who I was, not truly. You had visions, but I could have been nothing more than a figment of your imagination. But you selflessly saved my life, just as you saved the life of my progeny, my greatest accomplishment in life. Thank you doesn't seem like enough to show my gratitude. I can only hope by doing this, you will see how much I love you, how much you mean to me. I hope you'll remember that I loved you from the moment I met you."

"Godric please..." I tried begging, my legs growing weak. Why was he doing this to me? Why was he putting me through this pain? "Please please please don't do this. I don't want you to die. I don't want to live without you. Please."

"You must." His fingers moved to an opening in the chain link fence and lightly touched my cheek. "I want you to be happy. I want you to find peace. I wish I could be at your side. I wish I could rise every evening with you in my arms. But our fate was never aligned to be so. We were never destined for an eternity, but instead months of complete bliss. I will die a happy man, knowing that I was given even just a few short months with someone so beautiful, both inside and out. You gave me hope, you gave me a reason to love, my sweet. Even in my true death, I will always treasure your selfless spirit, the love you had for a monster."

I didn't try and hide my sobs from him as I let my legs collapse from beneath me, sending me down to my knees. I cried there on the floor, Godric standing over me, but still out of reach. I wanted this to be a nightmare. I wanted this not to be true. I came to Dallas to save the life of a vampire I barely knew except from my dreams. I came to Dallas not knowing what to expect. I never thought I would fall in love with Godric. I never knew I would come to need this vampire like I needed air to breathe. I couldn't live in a world without him. I couldn't love anyone else other than him. He was it. He was who I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. I didn't want to be with anyone else. Maybe I wouldn't have to, if I too died alongside of him. But what if that didn't happen? What if I was forced to live the rest of my short human life knowing that the man that I loved unconditionally died because of me? I would never forgive myself. I would be tormented by this heartache, by his memory left behind. I would never live peacefully. I would never be happy ever again. I would die of heartbreak, that much I knew would be true.

"I'm sorry this had to happen. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you like I promised I would. I wish I could change this. I wish I could send you far away from here. This is the last thing I wanted to happen. But know that I won't let them harm you more than they already have. Know that I will ensure that you are set free, that you will live. I won't let my death be in vain."

"I don't want you to die for me." I sobbed out.

"It's what I want. If I'm meant to meet the true death, then I will meet it with pride, knowing that I'm saving the life of the one girl who changed my life in such a short span of time. I hope you can forgive me. I hope you won't hate me for this, though maybe it would be easier for you." He knelt down before me, more tears adding to his already strained cheeks. "You and Eric, I hope you will mourn together. I hope you will be able to help one another through this. You are very much alike. Maybe that was why I was so drawn to you. You reminded me of him, of the only one I ever allowed myself to love. I'll never regret loving you, Taylor. I'll never regret opening my dead heart to you. You meant everything to me. I'll never forget all that you've given me."

I didn't want to hear this. I didn't want to hear his goodbyes. This couldn't be it. This couldn't be the end. Godric couldn't just die. He couldn't.

"I will always love you, my sweet one."

"No, Godric, please..." I laid my hand against the fence. He raised his and placed it over mine, and that only caused the tears to fall faster. "Don't say goodbye. I don't want you to die. Please. Please we can still..."

"I must go." He looked away, unable to look me in the eye. "I hear voices. You have to let me go now, Taylor."

I knew he didn't just mean right now. I knew he meant that I had to let him go, to release him from my heart and just let him die for me. But how could I? How could I just sit back and helplessly watch as he met the true death, as he was taken away from me? I refused to let that happen. Even if he died, he would always be in my heart, that would never change. Didn't he realize that?

"I love you."

Those were the last three words I feared he would ever speak to me as he raised to his feet and turned to the two men that were just standing off to the side, looking like they were in a daze. Suddenly, they were snapped back to attention, and they remembered their job. Godric just let them tug on the silver chains once again, pulling him towards the narrow hallway to my left. I screamed for him, I pounded against the cage with all of my might, willing the fence to just break away so I could run into Godric's arms one last time. But the cage held, and soon, Godric was whisked away. I couldn't cease the sobs or tears as I curled up on the dirty cement ground. I cried as my heart broke in two, as it was smashed into a thousand little pieces. I cried as my body ached, as my broken bones screamed in agony. I cried as I realized that even if Godric and I were to see one another again, it would be to die alongside one another. I cried until there was nothing left to do but just lie on that floor, whimpering until sleep tugged at my consciousness. I prayed that I wouldn't wake back up. I prayed that I wouldn't have to endear this pain any longer.

It was a prayer, however, that I knew wouldn't be answered.

* * *

Eventually, hours later, I was able to pull myself together and come to a decision.

I refused to give up. I refused to toss in the towel and just accept Godric and my fate. I wouldn't let him meet the sun. I wouldn't let him sacrifice himself for me when I might die right alongside of him anyways. But I wouldn't even allow that to happen. There had to still be hope, right? Eric wouldn't let his maker meet this fate. We still had the Viking to count on. And I refused to just sit around like a caged animal and just wait for Newlin to destroy my life. No, I needed to do something. I needed to get us the hell out of here in whatever way I possibly could.

It was for that determined reason that I found myself pacing the length of my makeshift prison during the hours the sun had risen. I couldn't do a damn thing while the sun was up. It gave me a handful of hours to come up with a plan to escape with Godric. And then the plan would be put into action.

I wasn't entirely sure of the hour, of what time it was. There were no windows in the basement, no clocks to tell me what time it was. But I became inventive. I assumed it wasn't long after Godric was tugged away from me that the sun had risen. And since then, I had stolen the timer from one of the disgusting anti-vampire board games and set it for an hour. The hours were slowly winding down, and I found myself with only a little bit of time left. But still, I hadn't thought of a single plausible idea.

"Come on, Taylor. You're thinking about this too hard." I scolded myself, rubbing the bridge of my nose and stopped in the middle of the room. My ribs still burned, my broken wrist was still being held close to my chest while it ached dully. But I ignored the pain as best as I could. I needed to concentrate, not wallow in the pain and self pity. The tears had dried on my cheeks, but I hadn't rubbed them away. It was a reminder of what needed to be done.

With only an assumed hour left to go, I was growing frustrated. If I couldn't think of something fast, then I would have just wasted nearly an entire day away. I might have hope for Isabel and Eric to find and rescue us, but I couldn't rely solely on their effort. Isabel was smart; she wouldn't just send in the brigade, she knew it would only end in bloodshed. And while I wouldn't mind Steve Newlin and some of his flunkies to meet that death, I also knew there were a lot of innocent brainwashed people here, helpless to Newlin's psychotic preaching. So whatever Isabel might have planned, it would take time. Time we might not have. On the other hand though, Eric would rush in here without even thinking, possible sealing his own fate as well. I remember the attempt at a vision from so long ago. I remember the smell of burning flesh; I remember Eric's cries of pain, his hopeful sacrifice for his maker and me. I didn't know when that vision would occur in reality, but I didn't want him to die because he was too much of an idiot to think. I just hoped Isabel will be able to talk some sense into him. But again, that would take time.

Right now, I could only rely on myself. My attempts to escape might fall short, might be idiotic. But I had to try, right? I had to damn well do something or I would never forgive myself for letting Godric selflessly sacrifice himself just for me. I couldn't do it. I would rather die alongside of him, than to live in this world without him. Watching him die, it would be what broke me, what destroyed me. I didn't want to live with that excruciating pain. So I had to do something, anything.

"There has to be something." I looked around me for the hundredth time, searching for a clue. When my gaze stopped at where the padlock was locked around the door in the chain link fence, it was as if a light bulb had just gone off. "That's it!"

I hurried over to the door and tried to get a good look at the padlock. If I could only find something to pick the lock with, then I could get out. Sure, I was never taught the art of picking a lock, but it was on TV and the movies all the time, it couldn't be too hard, right? Even if it was hard, I didn't care. I had an idea now. But what could I use? I didn't have anything helpful on me, and as I searched through the shelves and boxes around me, I couldn't find a single thing small enough to pick a lock. I sighed and sat back down on the overturned bucket and frowned. My first real idea, and not even five minutes later I was already losing hope. I didn't want to, but how could there be nothing to...

"Oh!" My eyes brightened at a thought.

Maybe I didn't have to just resort to finding something useful in my prison. Maybe there would be a useful tool elsewhere.

"Hey!" I shouted out, wincing as my throat ached. I pushed myself up onto my feet and moved to the fence, hoping someone would be able to hear me. "Hey, is anyone there! Hello!"

I waited for a few minutes, listening intently for a pair of footsteps. Of course, just my luck, there were none. I sighed, but refused to give up. So I kept trying. I yelled until I barely had a voice, until I was out of breath and ready to keel over. But it wasn't in vain, as eventually, the basement door did open and a face I didn't recognize came through. He looked not that much older than I was, and by the way his eyes were darting all over the place, I would say he was nervous.

"You need to be quiet." His voice soft, like was he afraid someone would hear him talking to me.

"I need to go to the bathroom." I blurted out without even blinking. It wasn't a complete lie. They had kept me down here for long enough that I did have needs. But also, a bathroom was a perfect unsuspecting place to find something useful to get me out of here. I didn't even think to try and overpower this boy and escape. I was in pain, though I tried not to remind myself. I wouldn't be able to do much of anything. But if I could escape my prison and was able to find Godric, then there would be nothing that could stop us.

Or at least, that's what I hoped.

"Er..." theboy looked unsure. "I can't let you out."

"Come on. Do you think Steve Newlin would want you to keep me in here to piss all over the place? Eventually the smell would rise and people would start to notice that you're keeping an innocent girl as a prisoner." I reasoned with mirth in my tone.

The boy shifted uncomfortably. "I can't."

"I can try to hold it, but sometimes you just have to go. And I have to say, I'm not going to be very cooperative if I end up pissing myself." I clutched onto the cage and crossed one ankle over the other, pressing my legs together and playing the part. "Please. I promise, no funny business. I'll be quiet and do whatever anyone tells me. Just please, let me go to the bathroom."

"I don't know..." the boy gazed back at the basement door. "If Gabe ever found out..."

"I won't tell him if you don't." my tone turned to sickly sweet. "Pretty please? I'll just be a minute. You can stand outside the door the entire time. You can even handcuff me, if you'd like. I just really need to go."

He seemed to be weighing his options, looking between the door and me thoughtfully. I prayed silently that he would fall for my sweet act, that he would allow me this one little pleasure. And eventually, he did. I had to fight the smile that was threatening to spread across my lips and keep the sweet look of appreciation on my face as the boy sighed and walked over, tugging out a ring of keys from his back pocket.

"Just for a minute. And don't even think about escaping." He tried to sound threatening.

I humoured him and faked a look of fear and nodded for his sake. He seemed to buy it as he unlocked the door and grasped onto my arm tightly. I was thankful it was not the arm with my broken wrist, which told me that this boy was just another one of Newlin's brainwashed flunkies that hadn't realized what they had signed up for. I almost felt sorry for this boy. Almost.

"Come on." He tugged me not towards the basement door, but towards the narrow hallway. My heart jumped to life, pounding in my chest as the boy sent one last look towards the basement door before pulling me down the hallway. I looked every which way, gazing at every door we passed wondering if Godric was held behind any one of them. I tried to listen for any sound from the vampire, but I should have known better. Vampires didn't make sounds, they weren't alive. There would be no breathing, and Godric didn't seem like the type to pace when there was nothing he could do but accept his fate.

"Make it quick." We came to a sudden halt before a door was open and I was being shoved into a very small sized bathroom. The door closed behind me and I had to blink a few times to focus. I looked around myself, and found there wasn't all that much room to move at all. There was only a toilet and a small sink. The mirror above the sink however, looked like it opened, and I was just hopeful there would be something useful inside. "Hurry it up in there!"

I rolled my eyes at the pounding on the door. I quickly relieved my needs, knowing that I would be sorry later if I didn't. Afterwards, I made sure to flush and wash my hands at the same time. Though I washed quickly before keeping the water flowing as much as the taps would allow before silently pulling open the mirror as quickly as I could without arousing suspicion. I would only have seconds to search, and I couldn't waste a single second. Just as I thought, they weren't smart enough to take anything out of the bathroom, even though someone must have realized I would have used it eventually. Inside, there were some useless band aids and other first aid items. But what brought me hope, was the small manicuring scissors that sat on the top shelf. I had to stop myself from cheering out loud as I quickly snatched them up and safely tucked them in my bra before closing the mirror just as the toilet had grown silent. I turned the taps off, gave my reflection a small satisfied smile before turning and opening the bathroom door.

"Thank you." I kept my head bowed as the boy grabbed onto my am and began pulling me back towards my prison. Without his attention solely focused on me, I glanced over my shoulder and I found a large heavy door at the very end of the hall. I tried to get a better look at it, but I was being tugged out of the hallway before I could. I was betting, however, that Godric would be somewhere behind that door.

Now that I knew my destination, all I had to do was wait for the right time.

* * *

I waited nearly two hours before I put my plan into action. I waited and waited, making sure I wouldn't find myself with any visitors before I slipped the scissors from out of my bra. I swallowed hard as I moved over to the padlock and tried to push my fingers through a small opening and move the lock to a better angle. I hadn't thought everything through all that well however, as I was beginning to realize that this would be harder than I initially thought. Once I had the lock at a better angle, I separated the points of the scissors and tried to push it through an opening and towards the lock. I almost dropped the scissors about a dozen times, and after nearly fifteen minutes of fooling around with the lock, I was almost ready to just call it quits.

But I didn't. Because I had a task to do. I had lives to save.

So I took a moment, I inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly, rolling the tension out of my shoulders as I did so. I needed to remain calm and not let the frustration consume me. This might not be an easy task, but it wasn't impossible. I just had to concentrate and keep calm.

So that's what I did. It still took time just to get the tip of one of the blades into the lock's opening, but once I did, I couldn't help but smile. Now came the difficult part. I didn't exactly know what I was doing. I lived on a farm my entire life; my dad didn't exactly teach me how to pick locks. TV made it look simple, but it was anything but simple. In fact, it was more frustrating than anything I've ever had to do before. It wasn't a natural talent, that was for sure. But I kept at it. I tried to keep myself as calm as possible as I fiddled with the lock, as I tried to free myself. I had to stop a few times when I heard little noises, afraid someone was coming into the basement. Thankfully though, I was just being paranoid as the big man upstairs was being nice enough to leave me without distractions.

"You can do this, Taylor. You have to do this." I gave myself a short pep talk.

I paused for a moment, my eyes closing as I breathed in and out, letting myself relax as best as I could. My hands began working again, and without even realizing what I was doing, my ears were met with a soft click. My eyes flashed open as I gently tugged on the padlock, only for it to come free. I softly began cheering to myself as I slowly creaked the door open, stopping as I half expected someone to come tearing down the stairs to find me escaping. But nothing happened and I sighed in relief. I hung the padlock unlocked on the door before grasping onto the scissors and darting towards the narrow hallway. I felt like I was in the middle of a movie as I moved around the corner like an expert spy, keeping my eyes peeled around me for any danger. I found none however, as I scurried down the hallway and to where the heavy door sat. There was no lock on the door that I could find, but it was just the matter of what could lie behind the door. Did Godric have guards that I didn't know of? I tried to remember anyone coming or going, but as I recalled, the two that had taken Godric down here had left not all that long afterwards. But that didn't mean anything. So I carefully and slowly, with a bit of struggle from how heavy it actually was, pulled the door open.

I held my breath, my eyes closing, as I waited for a bad guy to jump out at me. I waited a good minute or two before realizing nothing was happening. My eyes slowly opened and I was thankful not to come face to face with those that were holding me prisoner. I was even happier, however, to find Godric sitting calmly on the floor in a cage that I knew without even peering closely was made out of silver.

"Godric!" I hurried over to the cage, tears already forming in my eyes as I came to a stop, though all I wanted to do was plough right through that cage and jump into Godric's arms.

"You shouldn't be here, Taylor." Godric sighed as his eyes opened to raise and rest on mine. He shook his head as he stood gracefully, allowing me a moment to sat at the silver cuffs binding his wrists together. It sickened me to see the smoke that was rising from the skin that had been burned raw from the silver. I swallowed back a rising lump in my throat and tried to pull myself together. "It's too dangerous. You need to..."

"No." I shook my head. "No I'm not going to just sit around and let you die. I'm going to get us out of here."

Godric bowed his head, still standing in the middle of the room. "Taylor, please."

"Just hold tight. Let me just..." I looked for the lock on the cage door and quickly located it. I went to work on the lock, finding it easier being on the other side of the cage this time. I still struggled however, but I knew it was more from my nerves and pounding heart than anything else. We were so close. I just needed to unlock the door, get the silver cuffs off of Godric's wrists, and then we could get out of here. We'd be free. We'd be safe. We could worry about the fellowship once we were out of here for good.

"Taylor you need to leave before they return."

"I'm going to get us out of here."

"They won't stop until they eradicate my kind. They won't stop until one of us, if not all of us, are dead. Escaping now won't help anything." Godric explained sadly, refusing to look me in the eye. "Go now. Leave. Forget me, Taylor. If you leave now, you'll be free. Don't waste your time."

"Don't say that." I paused and looked up at him. I tilted my head to the side, not understanding why Godric was so adamant to just let Newlin murder him. The fellowship may continue to come after us, or all vampires. But we could deal with that when the time came. Or maybe we could leave, or put up extra defences. But for right now, we were getting the hell out of here before anyone had to die. So why didn't Godric want the same thing? Why was he practically begging for me to leave without him? Didn't he realize that I loved him too much to ever possibly leave him behind? "I'm going to get you out of here and..."

"Stop." Godric's voice lowered, his head snapping up. "Taylor leave now."

"No." I frowned. "I'm not just going to leave you behind, Godric. Are you crazy? They're going to kill you!"

"Then that will be my fate. I won't let you meet the same. Leave now. Please, Taylor. Go. Leave me here. Let me find my peace."

"What does that even mean? Find your peace? Godric, I love you, and I know you love me. We can find peace together once I..."

"Go." He insisted, stepping forward. "Just go. I don't want you to save me, Taylor. You've already done that. Let me do this for you."

"You don't have to anymore. You never had to. I won't just watch you die. I'm getting you out of here and we'll both be safe. And then we'll have a little discussion on why you're being this way." I shot him a glare before getting back down to work. My fingers just weren't working properly however, my nerves completely shot as anger began sweeping through me. Why was Godric acting this way?

"Please, Taylor. I beg you to leave. You can live a long life. You can be happy. Let me do this. If not me, it will be another, and I won't let an underling die on my behalf."

"Well I won't let you die." I had to stop myself before stomping on the ground in frustration. "Just stop talking, Godric. You're not helping anything. I'm going to get you out of here and then..." I trailed off, the words leaving me as I suddenly felt a wave of nausea and dizziness. My eyebrows furrowed together as I closed my eyes, raising a hand up to rub at my forehead. I felt light headed, my stomach churning as it felt like someone was shoving my head against a brick wall repeatedly. I let out a groan as I braced myself against the cage.

"Taylor? My love? What's wrong?" Godric drew closer, and as he tried to reach out to me, a hiss sounded from his lips, a sizzling sound meeting my ears.

I cracked my eyes open and found Godric holding his hands closer to his chest, new wounds around his fingers from getting to close to the silver cage.

"Godric..." I was the one who tried to reach for him this time, only my legs wouldn't hold me up any longer and I collapsed onto my knees.

"Taylor." He came as close as he could to the cage, kneeling down and trying to catch my gaze. "It's a vision, isn't it?"

I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but his voice was sounding farther and farther away as black dots began to invade my vision.

"_Are you very afraid?" _

_I came to find myself on a rooftop, overlooking what appeared to be the Dallas skyline. I spotted the sun slowly rising from the distance, which surprised me when I found Godric standing in the middle of the roof. I frowned as I moved closer, barely giving the blonde woman a second glance._

"_No." Godric shook his head, a smile falling on his face as he turned towards the blonde. "No. I'm full of joy."_

"_But the pain." Tears were threatening to slip down the blonde's cheeks._

"_I want to burn." He insisted with conviction._

"_Well, I'm afraid for you."_

_My eyes grew wide as I spotted the smoke beginning to rise from Godric's body. The sun was steadily rising, and soon, it was going to be just high enough for the rays of light to catch his body entirely in flames. I tried to run to him, to beg with him to get off the roof, to get inside. But I found myself rooted to the spot. I could no longer move, but instead just stand there, frozen and forced to watch this horrifying scene._

"_A human with me at the end, and human tears. Two thousand years, and I can still be surprised. In this I see God."_

_The sun was rising faster, only seconds from enveloping Godric's body. I was fighting against my invisible restraints. I tried to shout out to him, but I had no voice. He moved towards the edge, the blonde crying as she stepped back. I could feel my own tears slipping down my cheeks as Godric slipped off his white shirt and moved to the very edge. _

"_Goodbye Godric."_

_I could do nothing but just stand there struggling as the smoke turned to a blue burning fire that enveloped Godric's entire body until suddenly, there was nothing left but the ashes of the man that I loved being swept away by the wind._

"Godric!"

I was thrown out of the vision with a start, my body shaking as my eyes flew open and I was rushed back into the present. A sob escaped my lips as I tried to get my bearings, my eyes squeezing shut as the image of Godric dying, burning to death until he was nothing but ash, burned in my mind.

"Taylor? Speak to me, my love. What did you see?"

At hearing Godric's voice, my eyes flew open only to come face to face with my love. He was out of the cage, the cuffs broken from his wrists. The cage door had been thrown off its hinges and was laying a few feet away. He was leaning over me as he held me in his arms, cradling me to his chest as he stroked my hair. I let out a sigh, relieved to have the man that I loved holding me. But I just couldn't shake that vision. I couldn't simply just forget what I had been shown. Godric had been standing on a rooftop with the intent of meeting the sun. He wasn't being forced by the fellowship. He wasn't captured by silver and tied to a cross while an entire brainwashed congregation watched with glee. There was only a mysterious blonde woman standing there, tears staining her cheeks as she watched Godric die, as she watched the oldest and kindest vampire leave this world. But for what reason? Why was he doing that? Why did he want to die?

"_I want to burn"_

Those words echoed in my head. He wanted to burn? He wanted to meet the sun? But why? What about me? Didn't he love me? Didn't he want to be with me? Why would he want to die? And what about Eric? He may have spent a thousand years at his maker's side, but he wouldn't want Godric to just die, to leave him alone to grieve over his death. So why did Godric want this? Was this why he didn't want me to free him, even though it's obvious he could have left at any time, he could have freed us both. Did he want to die? Did he want to burn, to see the sun for one last time? But why? It just made absolutely no sense.

"It's alright, my sweet seer. It's alright." He whispered to me before his arms suddenly tensed around me. "They're coming. You must go now, Taylor."

"B-but..." I refused to just leave him here. I couldn't. He may try to meet the sun at some point in the future on his own accord, but I refused to let these psychotic crazies murder him. I could try and talk him out of his own suicide desires, but I couldn't stop these murderers. Not on my own. "I don't want you to die."

"I would do everything in my power to keep you safe." He brushed his lips against my forehead before lifting me up onto my feet. "You must go now. Before they..."

"Well look at this. The little whore tried to escape." Gabe's dark voice filled the room.

My eyes grew wide as I stared up at Godric, silently pleading for him to do something. He could still get us out of here. Why didn't he want that? He had easily been able to get out of his binds, out of the cage itself. He could free us both. So why wasn't he?

"Godric, please." I pleaded with him, the tears still steaming down my cheeks. I grasped onto the front of his shirt, too afraid to let him go. I could hear Gabe and what sounded like two others growing closer. We could still make it out of here alive. "Please Godric. Let's just go. I don't want you to die. Please don't do this. Please."

"I'm sorry." His hands clasped around mine. "I won't let them harm you. I won't let them harm any others. This is what I have to do."

"But we can still leave! We can get out of here!" I tried to insist, struggling as he gently pushed me away from him. "Please Godric. They're going to kill you! Please don't do this!"

"I'm sorry, my love. I'm truly sorry. But I must do this. This is what needs to be done. I will always love you, never forget that." He looked away from me as suddenly an arm came out of nowhere from behind and snatched me up.

I let out a scream, trying to kick my legs as Gabe grabbed me from behind. I flailed my limbs, shouting at Godric to help me, to help both of us. But he merely turned, sending me one last saddened look, and walked back into the cage. He stood there, in the middle of the room with his back turned to us, not uttering a single word, not sending me even a second glance. He wasn't just giving up. He wasn't just accepting his fate and calling it a day. Somewhere deep down inside, he wanted this. He wanted to burn, to meet the sun, to leave this world. But why? Why did he want to do this?

And why did he want to leave me?


	31. Chapter Thirty

**Chapter Thirty:**

It felt like years had passed, but I knew it was only days. The days, however, were long and excruciating. I had lost any hope of freeing Godric, of seeing the vampire again. Even if I did set my sights on him for one last time, it would be at his death. And I didn't want that. I didn't want to watch the man I loved more than anything die right before my eyes. The mere thought sent me into a fit of sobs until eventually, I had shed every possible tear and was only left with the occasional whimper. There was nothing I could do. Nothing I could say to convince Godric not to go through with this. I understood he was trying to protect me, that he was sacrificing himself not only just for me, but for all vampires in general. He was offering himself in hopes that this would be enough for Newlin. But I knew better than that. He wouldn't stop until vampires were extinct. Godric was giving his life for no reason.

Was there more to it, then? Was there more than just that reason that he wanted to burn? I couldn't get the image of Godric enveloped in flames out of my head. He had wanted to burn. He had willingly allowed the rays of sunshine to envelope his body until he was nothing but ash. So why did he want that fate? Why did he want to feel that pain, to leave Eric and me behind? Were there signs I should have noticed, a way I could have stopped this suicidal wish of his? I knew he had grown sadder in the last month or so. He had distanced himself more than I would have liked, and whenever we had been together, that smile of his hardly reached his beautiful blue eyes. Had this been his desire all along and I just hadn't noticed? Was he tired of living, of roaming this earth after two thousand years? Did he still see himself as the monster that I knew he wasn't?

Whatever the reason, I wasn't so sure I could persuade him to think differently. If I would have been able to, it would have been when we were both free of our prisons. But he had just walked back into that cage while Gabe and the others dragged me back into my own hell hole, handcuffing me back to one of the shelving units to ensure I couldn't escape again. I didn't care, however, there was no point to escape anymore. Godric didn't want to leave. We had the opportunity. He always had been able to free himself, but he just didn't want that. He said he wanted to keep me safe, to make sure no harm came to me, but didn't he realize that knowing what his fate would be would bring me more pain than I ever thought possible?

"_...Did you know there was actually a vampire Pope back in the Middle Ages?"_

I frowned as I looked up from my spot on the cold cement floor and gazed towards the door leading to the basement stairs. I could faintly hear Newlin's voice, but from the sounds of it, he wasn't alone."

"_Rufus."_ A woman's voice sounded, one that didn't sound anything like Sarah Newlin.

"_What's the matter?" _Steve was faking concern, causing me to roll my eyes.

"_It's no big deal; she just has a tiny little case of claustrophobia. We both do actually."_

My eyes grew wide. I knew that voice. I knew that voice very well.

"Hugo?" I whispered to myself, straining to hear more.

"_Well, at least take a quick little look see, and then that way you can say you saw the whole church and can make an informed decision."_ Why was he being so insistent for Hugo and some other woman to come down to the basement? Why was Hugo even here? Had Isabel sent him to make sure Godric and I were actually here before sending the vampires in after them? Did Steve realize who they were? Part of me wanted to scream to get Hugo's attention, but I was too intrigued to hear what else was being said to do so.

"_Steve."_ This time, it was Sarah who spoke, and even from down here, I could hear that she was nervous. I was beginning to believe that Sarah had no idea what her husband was capable of. Maybe she was even thinking twice about being with him. Smart woman.

"_It's alright Sarah; this is something they need to see."_

I was getting a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. This wasn't going to end well at all. I decided, with nothing left to lose, to start screaming.

"_What was that?"_ the other woman questioned, and it took me a minute to realize I had heard that voice before. But from where?

"_Oh nothing at all. So let's go down and see the last bit of the church."_

"_But we've already decided that we're getting married here. So how about we go back to our apartment and we'll look at a calendar and call you when we find a set date." _The woman was sounding panicked now.

"_No."_ Steve's tone changed instantly and I grew silent as I waited for the inevitable. _"Gabe!"_

I couldn't make out another word past all the screaming. I could hear the heavy footsteps on the stairs, I could hear the fighting, the struggling as Hugo and the woman tried to escape. But it was impossible as moments later, a form came tumbling down the stairs. I let out a yelp as I jumped, the blood draining from my face as I took in the groaning form of Hugo. I didn't even get a chance to call out to him as Steve and Gabe came down the stairs holding a still struggling blonde. It was only one quick glance that told me where I had known that voice from. This was the blonde from my vision, the very same blonde who had been on that rooftop with Godric, who had been crying for him. What she had to do with any of this, I wasn't so sure.

"Let me go!" She tried scratching at their arms, at their faces, at anything she could find.

But there was nothing she could do as Steve was able to slip the key for the cage into the lock and open the door. I did my own struggling, wishing that my handcuffs would suddenly just break so I could help this girl who only looked a few years older than me. But that only left me with pain shooting up my arm from my broken wrist. I whimpered and could do nothing more than fall silent as the blonde was thrown onto the ground followed by Hugo's still conscious form.

"Let us out of here!" the girl scrambled to her feet and tried to run towards the door, only for Gabe to shut it in her face, locking the padlock once again with a cruel smirk spreading across his lips. "You can't do this! You can't keep us down here like this!"

"Oh, but I can." Were the only words that came out of Steve's mouth before his gaze flickered to me for a moment before he and Gabe strutted back up the stairs and out of the basement.

"Let us out!" she pounding at the cage.

I could only sit there and watch as she tried to find a way out. I felt sorry for her, but knew I had been the exact same way not too long ago. It was Hugo, who I found my attention being drawn to. I frowned as I watched him compose himself before throwing me a glance.

"Taylor?" his eyebrows furrowed.

"Hey, Hugo." I offered a forced smile. "Fancy meeting you down here."

This caught the blonde's attention as she whipped around to face me. Her brown orbs took in the sight of me and shock crossed her face. "You're Taylor Edwards?"

I nodded, watching her reaction as she hurried over to my side.

"Oh my gosh, what did they do to you?" her gaze fell on the handcuffs, raising a hand to try and tug on them. I flinched away however, causing the blonde to stop. She frowned as she looked back down at my once beautiful white dress that was now filled with dirt, and a few spots of blood. "How can they call themselves Christians when they do things like this?"

"Amen to that." I muttered as I took in the blonde. She was definitely the one who had been on that rooftop with Godric. But why? Did she know Godric? Was there any reason for her to be up there? Or was she just someone who cared? I could sense the kind spirit coming from the woman. She would have to be caring if she had come here in an attempt to find Godric and me. You don't just do that for people you've never met before if you were cold hearted.

"Are you alright?" She kneeled beside me. "How long have you been down here? Is Godric here?"

"A few days. Maybe longer. I'm not really sure." I shrugged before wincing. "Time feels different when you're locked up down here."

A look of sympathy crossed what I knew would be warm brown eyes if we weren't now locked in the basement together. "Is Godric here? Can he help us?"

I didn't answer and instead just looked away. I would have cried if I had the strength left. But I had cried enough tears over the last few days. I had cried over the inevitable fate Godric would face for too long to even have a single tear left to shed. I had to come to terms with what was going to happen. But how could I do that? How could I just accept that Godric was going to die, that if I made it out of here alive, I was going to have to live the rest of my life without him?

"It's alright." She offered a small smile, laying a hand on my knee and squeezing. "We'll get out of this, I'm sure of it."

"How can you be so sure?" Hugo was pacing now, undoing his tie and looking terrible. "We're stuck down here, Sookie."

"Bill will come for me. He must have felt my fear." The blonde insisted. "We just have to wait for the sun to go down."

"Do you really think the vampires are just going to come for us?" Hugo didn't look convinced. "Maybe they'll just leave us down here."

"Bill wouldn't just leave me. He'll come." she sent him a dark look. "If you're not going to say anything helpful, then just shut up Hugo."

Hugo clenched his teeth together but he continued his pacing in silence. He looked both worried and nervous, but I couldn't figure out the reason for either. Was he worried that he was going to die? Or was there something else? I knew what it felt like to be locked in a cage; I knew what it did to you. But he was acting oddly. Maybe I was just grasping for straws, maybe I just wanted to focus on anything but Godric's fate.

"I'm Sookie, by the way. Sookie Stackhouse." Her gaze fell back on my form.

"Nice to meet you." My voice sounded strained. "Taylor."

"We'll get out of this Taylor, I just know it."

* * *

Hours passed, and I was beginning to believe Sookie was just one of those, glass is half full, kind of girls. Because I was still handcuffed and we were all still trapped in this hell hole, waiting for what would come next. Hugo was still pacing, mumbling incoherently under his breath. Sookie on the other hand, was searching for a way out. She even resorted to shouting out to Godric, hoping that he would answer and come rescue us. I didn't burst her bubble, knowing that right now, hope was the only thing keeping her sane. But I knew Godric wouldn't come. And that thought alone pained me.

"Godric! Godric can you hear me?" Sookie shouted, looking towards the narrow hallway that led deeper into the basement and towards the vampire himself. "Isabel and Eric sent us. Godric!"

"Eric?" my eyes grew wide at the mention of Godric's progeny. "Eric's here?"

Sookie turned her head and caught my eye before nodding. "You know Eric?"

"Tall annoying Viking? Yeah, I know him." I nodded, a new hope beginning to form in the pit of my stomach. Eric was here. He and Isabel had sent Hugo and Sookie. Which meant that Eric couldn't be too far behind, right? Maybe by tonight, he would be here, ready to free his maker, and hopefully, the rest of us. There was still hope. Maybe he would be able to talk some sense into Godric when I obviously couldn't.

"It's no use." Hugo shook his head, bracing himself against the cage and for the first time, I noticed he was sweating buckets.

"I know Godric is down here somewhere. I heard the awful things they're planning to do to him." Sookie paused as her gaze fell onto me. "He is here, isn't he?"

"It's no use." I repeated Hugo's words softly, squeezing my eyes shut as I looked away.

"Remember how I said I was claustrophobic? I wasn't making that part up. It's bad. I can't take elevators, walk in closets. You know how in hotels, they tuck the sheets in tight? Just thinking about that makes me want to scream." Hugo was rambling while Sookie shuffled around our prison that felt even smaller now with two extra bodies.

"Jesus Christ Vampire Exterminator, Silver and Stakes, Send 'Em back to hell? This is so sick." Sookie shook her head at the very same games I had felt sickened by.

"Sookie I don't have time for games right now. I need to get out of here." I opened my eyes to find an agitated Hugo.

"Take a deep breath." Sookie suggested, her voice softening as she tried to calm Hugo down. "Look at me. It's going to be okay. We're going to figure this out, alright?"

Hugo nodded, inhaling deeply as he sat on the same overturned bucket I had used as a chair.

"Okay. I'm okay." He mumbled to himself.

"So the Newlin's knew who we were the moment we stepped in the church. The same way they knew to come after me at the airport." Sookie frowned. "Someone at that nest is a traitor."

I watched the two with interest. That had been my own suspicion after the vision that told me Steve and Gabe knew exactly where to find Godric and I. How else would they have known we had gone out to dinner that night and where they could find us? I didn't want to believe that anyone I had grown close to over the past few months could have betrayed Godric and I like that, but what else could I believe now. And now it wasn't just Godric and I who had been betrayed by someone in that nest, but Sookie and Hugo too.

"You think a vampire is siding with the fellowship? Get Godric out of the way?" Hugo suggested.

"Stan?" Sookie raised an eyebrow. "Because he wants to be Sheriff? I've heard of ambitious, but that's just plain crazy."

"Well you've met him. He would rip our throats out for looking at him sideways. Taylor knows what I'm talking about." Hugo shot me a glance.

I couldn't exactly deny that. Stan hated me; he hated most humans in general. And he had been my first guess to be the traitor. He wanted to be Sheriff. He wanted to be the one with the power instead of having to take orders from Godric. But would Stan really do something this extreme? He hated the fellowship even more than I did. Would he stoop so low and work alongside of them?

"If that's true, Bill and Eric are going to do a lot worse to him when they find out." A thought crossed Sookie's mind. "Bill must have felt my fear. He'll come bursting through this church the moment the sun goes down."

"You don't seem happy about that." Hugo raised an eyebrow at the blonde as he leaned forward.

"These fanatics are about to..." Sookie glanced my way briefly before continuing. I wasn't sure what she had been told about me, but she must have known Godric and I were together in some fashion. I could see the sympathy in her small glances. It wasn't out of pity however, but almost as if she understood what I was going through. "They plan on murdering a two thousand year old vampire in front of the entire congregation. Who knows what else they're capable of? Just look at us."

"Oh you have no idea." I muttered to myself, sighing heavily as I let my gaze be drawn to that narrow hallway, praying that Godric would come storming down that hallway at any moment. It was only wishful thinking however. I knew the truth. I knew he wouldn't come and help us. I knew he loved me, that he didn't want me to get hurt. But this accepting fate crap was getting old and if there was even a remote chance of all of us getting out of here alive, Godric and I were going to have a nice long chat about this.

* * *

"How did you and Godric meet?" Sookie had sat down close to me, giving the still frantic Hugo some space.

I sighed as I opened my eyes from my failed resting attempt and caught her gaze. "I had a...er..." I trailed off, mentally slapping myself for nearly letting the fact that I have visions slip out. Sookie may seem kind, and I was sure that if we weren't stuck in this predicament, we might have even been friends, but I still couldn't tell a soul about my gift. It was too risky. It already seemed like Steve knew somehow, though I wasn't sure how that was possible.

Unless the traitor somehow knew.

That thought didn't make me feel any better.

"We just sort of bumped into each other." I lied with ease, though it wasn't difficult to put a smile on my face as I thought about Godric in those lighter times. I had thought our encounters to be by chance, but Godric had even admitted to watching over me during those first few weeks. And then we had grown closer, becoming friends, bonding over horrific events that still shook me to my core when I thought about them. I remembered Godric pushing me against the back wall in that restaurant, kissing me for the first time. Falling in love with Godric was the best thing that had ever happened to me, even if it did take some convincing on Godric's part to allow himself that luxury. We had had blissful months together, months that I wouldn't trade for the world.

And now, just like that, it was all being taken away from me.

I closed my eyes and looked to the side as that thought crossed my mind. I didn't want to think about it. I didn't want to envision Godric burning in the sun. If it didn't occur here, I knew it would happen at some point, my vision told me that. And there didn't seem to be a whole lot I could do to fix that. I could talk to him. I could profess my love for him. But he already knew how much he meant to me, he knew what I would do for him and still, he wanted this. He wanted to die, for his two thousand years of existence to just end in such a horrific and painful way. I tried to understand what his reasoning might be, but I couldn't for the life of me understand why he would ever think this was a good idea. What about Eric? Didn't Godric realize just how much this would affect his own progeny? And what about me? What about the woman that loved him? Didn't he understand that this would just destroy me?

"You seem lost in thought." Sookie mused softly. "Everything alright?"

"Just thinking about the last few months with Godric." I sighed, looking down at my lap. "They were just so happy and now...now it's just all going to end."

"That might not be true." Sookie pointed out optimistically. "I'm not sure who Godric is to Eric, but I've never seen Eric this way before. He wouldn't just come all the way here, endanger all of our lives just to let the fellowship murder Godric."

"He's his maker." I informed. "Godric, he's Eric's maker. And you're right. Eric might be an asshole, and believe me; I know that first hand a little too well. But he is loyal. I know he loves Godric. I knew he would come, and I know he won't leave until he knows Godric's safe. I'm just...I'm worried about the future."

"You're worried that even though we might escape, the fellowship won't stop until Godric is dead." She assumed.

"Yeah, something like that." I nodded, though I was only telling part of the truth. I was worried about what Steve and the rest of the fellowship would do if we all escaped. But that might not be a problem if Godric met the sun on his own. That would just be helping the fellowships cause.

"We'll get out of this. Bill and Eric will come for us." Sookie assured with a small smile.

"Who's Bill, if you don't mind me asking?"

A dreamy look passed over Sookie's face, and I wondered if that was the same look that was on my face whenever I thoughtabout Godric. "Oh Bill, he's my..."

"He's her vampire boyfriend. You're not the only whore of Satan, Miss Edwards." Steve Newlin's annoying voice wafted through the basement and he came walking through the door, Gabe faithfully at his back like always.

"Are you two butt buddies? It would explain so much." I glared at the crude look Gabe was sending to Sookie and me, a sickening look in his eye. I certainly didn't want to find myself alone with him anytime soon; or really, at all.

"That's not very nice, you know." Steve scolded me like I was merely a misbehaving child.

I rolled my eyes. "Sorry, I'm all out of nice today."

Gabe's look darkened as he glared daggers in my direction. I just sent him a glare right on back. He may have frightened the wits out of me, but he didn't need to know that.

"They're coming for us, you know." Sookie stood, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We're hoping for it." Steve grinned gleefully. He would just love to burn more than one vampire in front of his brainwashed congregation. And that worried me. I hoped Eric didn't do anything rash or stupid. I didn't need to be worrying about his fate too. "Aren't we, Gabe?"

"Yes sir. Bring it on." Gabe's smirk widened, and I knew he wouldn't hesitate to go up against a vampire in a fight, even if he would never match a vampire with strength alone.

"You're going to get yourselves killed." Sookie shook her head in disgust.

"Oh I hope so." I muttered just loud enough so I would be heard.

"You might want to watch what you say." Steve didn't look too happy with me. "You don't want anything to happen to that vamp of yours, do you?"

I couldn't stop myself as I tried to leap forward. I forgot, at that moment, that my wrists were cuffed to one of the metal shelving units, that my wrist was broken, that my ribs still burned. I forgot that even if none of that was even a factor, there was still a locked cage door between Steve Newlin and me. But none of that mattered as his comment stung me, as it sliced right through me. I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to cause him the same pain he had caused me and so many others. I wanted him to pay for all of this. But no matter how hard I tugged on my binds, no matter the words I hissed at him, I was only welcomed by the pain, and not the satisfaction of slamming my fist into his face.

After a few moments, I fell silent, my shoulders slumping forward as tears threatened to spill. My wrist was screaming in protest and it took everything in my power not to scream out in pain. I bit down hard on my bottom lip as Steve just sent me a smug look.

"Careful now, you wouldn't want to hurt yourself." He mocked.

"You're going to pay for this." I growled, my eyes narrowing into slits. "Karma is going to kick your ass one of these days."

"Have you _seen_ that?" his smug smirk grew before glancing back at Sookie. "You two are quite the pair you know."

Sookie frowned, glancing between Steve and me in confusion. I didn't understand what he meant either, but my glare never wavered.

"Well if you'll excuse me, I have plans to prepare. We have a holy bonfire at dawn, after all."

I gritted my teeth, and it was Sookie who came to kneel beside me, laying a hand on my shoulder to stop me from uselessly struggling. I glared at Steve's back as he turned and made his way back up the basement stairs. Gabe flashed us one last sickening look however, before following his butt buddy loyally.

"I'll see you two soon."

I shuddered at his parting words before we were once again left alone in the basement.

"Well that's a great way to get us out of here." Hugo threw us both a dark look.

"You're not exactly helping anything, Hugo." Sookie snapped.

"At least I'm not egging them on." He argued.

"Bill will come." She tried to assure him.

"We waited for your boyfriend all night. You might be fine with playing damsel in distress, but one way or another, I'm going to find a way out of here."

"Hugo, do us all a favour and shut the fuck up." I grumbled, my mood worsening.

* * *

"Hey!" Hugo was banging on the chain link fence caging us in. "Hey, I have to use the bathroom!"

"Yeah they're not going to fall for that one again." I commented. Sookie sent me a raised eyebrow and I shrugged. "I found manicuring scissors when they let me go to the bathroom and ended up escaping before they caught me. Unless they're complete idiots, I doubt they'll fall for that again."

There was a smile threatening to form on Sookie's lips as she stifled a laugh. She grabbed an empty water bottle and stood from where she was sitting on the ground beside me, offering Hugo at least a way to relieve himself.

"Here," She held out the bottle to him. "We'll look away."

"I don't need that." He slapped the bottle away, acting erratically again. "I need to get the hell out of here!"

"Hugo, this is not helping!" Sookie sighed in frustration. At least I wasn't the only one getting tired of Hugo's attitude. "Just sit down, alright? We'll figure something out. Hugo, will you just..."

She grasped onto his arm, trying to stop his pounding on the cage, only to freeze, her entire body tensing. I watched with intrigue, wondering what was wrong when suddenly she let go of his arm and stumbled backwards.

"You." She spat out in disgust. "You're the traitor."

Hugo's eyes widened, and I was sure mine did as well. What was Sookie talking about?

"I don't know what you're talking about." Hugo shook his head.

"You can't lie to me, Hugo. I heard everything." Sookie crossed her arms over her chest. "You're the traitor. You're the one who told the fellowship when we were landing in Dallas. You're the one who told them we were coming here to the church."

I gasped but couldn't think of anything to say. How could that even be possible? How could Hugo, who was madly in love with Isabel, betray her and the rest of the nest? He had stayed there; he had lived amongst us for longer than I was even around. He couldn't have just betrayed all of that; he couldn't have stuck a knife in Isabel's back. It was impossible.

And yet, it would also make complete sense. There were secrets that only those Godric and I trusted would know. There was information that only a few were privy to. And Isabel was one of them. What if Hugo had been there, acting like the perfect boyfriend to learn all of our secrets, only to go straight to the fellowship? They had known where the nest was located that night they tried to assassinate Eric, only to shoot me instead. They had known where Godric and I would be the night they kidnapped me. I knew there had been a traitor, I had just been pointing fingers at the wrong person.

But why would he do something so horrible? Why would Hugo of all people do this?

"Hugo..." I shook my head, not understanding what in the world was going on. "Why would you..."

"I didn't." he denied, though there was panic in his tone. "You don't even know her Taylor. You can't trust what she says."

"You know very well how I know you're the traitor." Sookie defended. "I heard your thoughts, Hugo. You're the traitor. You went to the fellowship, for god even knows whatever reason, and you told them everything. You told them about me, and you told them about Taylor and Godric. You're the one behind all of this."

"_I heard your thoughts"_ it took me a moment, to process that comment. It took me a moment to realize what Sookie had meant. My eyes grew even wider as realization dawned on me.

"You could hear his thoughts?"

Sookie sighed as she glanced over her shoulder at me. "I'm a telepath."

"Wow." I breathed out in surprise. A telepath? She could read other people's thoughts. She could see into their minds. She had this psychic gift, much like I could see the future. They may have been two completely different abilities, but to know that there was someone else out there that was living with this hardship, with this difference from all the others, it made me feel not so alone anymore. I had always known, thanks to Godric, that there were others like me out there, but to meet someone like Sookie, it made it seem more real.

I had to shake my head to remember what the real surprise was here.

"Hugo, how could you do something like this? You love Isabel!"

Hugo, realizing he wasn't able to fool us any longer, just sighed and found a seat on the overturned bucket again. "I was just like the two of you. I was so in love, I was taken with Isabel. Especially after the sex. The sex, it was...well you two know."

I shifted uncomfortably, and I could tell Sookie looked just as uncomfortable as I felt.

"You know what it's like to be desired by someone so powerful. It's almost addicting."

"We're no addicts." Sookie looked at him in disgust. "You're not supposed to be addicted to someone you love."

"Maybe you don't understand then what it's like to have your whole world changed." Hugo shook his head. "You start missing work; soon your whole world is surrounding them. Nothing else matters."

"So you went to the fellowship? You betrayed the woman you supposedly love because you couldn't control yourself?" I questioned in disappointment. "That's terrible, Hugo."

"Hasn't your life changed, Taylor? You're just a kid and Godric is your entire world." Hugo insisted.

"I love Godric, but he's not everything. I know the difference between love and an addiction."

"You wouldn't want to live without him, would you?" he raised an eyebrow.

I looked away, unable to deny that.

"I asked her to turn me." He admitted. "I didn't want to grow old and die and not be with her. I wanted us to be equals. But she wouldn't."

"That doesn't mean you go run off to the fellowship. Do you even realize what they have planned for Godric and me? Godric might think that they're going to keep their word and not hurt me. But I saw their plans; I know what's going to happen. And that's all because of you." I wanted nothing more than to walk over to Hugo and just slap him across the face repeatedly until I felt satisfied. Isabel hadn't wanted to turn him, to end his life with her own hands, and he does this? He goes behind her back, behind the back of those that trusted him, and runs to the fellowship with all of our secrets? That was lower than low. "You told them about my visions too, didn't you? I had a feeling Newlin knew, but I wasn't sure how. But it was you, wasn't it. You told them what I was."

"I overheard you and Eric talking one night." Hugo shrugged.

"You sent them to the nest that night, didn't you? You were the reason Eric nearly died that night." I accused.

Hugo bowed his head, though I wasn't sure if it was out of shame or not.

"I took bullets for him. I was the one that nearly died. How can you just sit there acting like it was no big deal that you _betrayed_ all of us?" I spat at him, finding myself struggling against my binds once again. "Oh I cannot wait until the vampires find out. I can't wait to get out of here and kick your ass for this."

"The fellowship will protect me." He sounded so certain.

"If that's true, then why are you down here with us instead of up there?" Sookie pointed out, returning to the spot beside me on the floor. "You're nothing but a fangbanging traitor to them, Hugo. That's all you're ever going to be."

"Well until Eric gets a hold of you. Then you're not going to be much of anything." If looks could kill, I was sure he would be six feet under right now.

A look of fear crossed Hugo's face and I think for the first time, he truly realized how deep in shit he really was. "Gabe!" He shouted, standing back up and pounding on the cage. "You can let me out now! They know everything! Hey! Gabe!"

I snorted, Sookie and me exchanging an eye roll.

"Yep, you're just so darn important to them, aren't you?"

* * *

I wasn't sure how much longer we sat there in an uncomfortable silence. Hugo continued to pace, occasionally yelling for someone to come rescue him. No one came of course, which only proved Sookie and my point. I couldn't wait until the vampires found out about this, until we could get some redemption. Hugo deserved to feel the same pain we were all forced to, just as Steve Newlin did. The two of them deserved one another, that's for sure.

"So...a telepath, huh?" I decided to make conversation. My arms and wrists had grown numb again from their position, and I took that opportunity to try and shift positions. I gritted my teeth as the metal cuffs dug into my wrists, but the pain was only a dull ache now.

Sookie nodded, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Did you say you had...visions?"

I nodded. "I'm a seer. Or at least, that's what Godric told me I was. I never realized what I could do until I met him, until I realized he was real."

Sookie sent me a look of confusion. I sighed and looked down at my lap, trying to figure out how to explain the real reason Godric and I had come to know one another. "I had dreams about him for months leading up to our first meeting. I wasn't entirely sure he was real, but...but I guess a part of me knew that he was. So I came here to Dallas after a vision of these thugs, who seemed to have been in cahoots with the fellowship, murdering Godric. And surprise surprise, Godric was actually real."

"Wow." Her eyebrows shot up into her hairline. "Have you always had these sorts of dreams?"

"My entire life. I never knew they were visions, or at least part of me didn't. Everything I saw seemed to come true, but everyone just called it a coincidence, that I was just making things up."

"But Godric was real. You saved his life obviously."

I nodded. "It was the first time I realized what I think I always knew. They were more than just dreams, they were visions. Ever since we met, Godric has been trying to help me understand my powers better."

"It must have been hard, to go your whole life not really realizing this part of yourself." Sookie patted my knee. "I guess I can relate. Though it was different for me. I was just always able to hear people's thoughts. It was hard when I was younger, I couldn't control it at all. But I've been practicing. I've been doing better at keeping out of other people's heads."

"I have to say, it's relieving to know I'm not the only person out there with something so...so..."

"Different." Sookie offered with a smile. "Yeah, I know the feeling."

I started to smile in return when the basement door was suddenly thrown open and none other than Gabe came waltzing in. I gulped as I sent Sookie a look of worry, one she returned. She stood, as did Hugo as Gabe walked over and began opening the door.

"Oh thank god. They know." Hugo pointed at us. "Which never would have happened if you hadn't of locked me down here with a god damn mind reader and a psychic. I hope Reverend Newlin knows that I'm going to need protection from the vampires now. They'll kill me if they..."

I yelped as Gabe suddenly threw a punch at the side of Hugo's head, connecting and sending the man flying to the floor. Sookie moved closer to me, a gasp sounding from her own lips as Gabe started to kick at Hugo's groaning form.

"You want protection you fangbanging sack of shit? How's that for protection?" Gabe threw another punch at the man.

I don't know why I felt the need to shout out at Gabe, but the words came bursting out before I could stop them. "Stop it!"

Gabe did stop, but he turned his attention on to me. "I've wanted a piece of you since I first laid my eyes on you."

Sookie must have realized exactly what Gabe meant as she ran at him, trying to scratch at his eyes. But he only shoved her away, knocking her into the shelves before turning back to me. My eyes grew wide at that dark, cruel look in his eyes. I tried struggling. I tried breaking my binds, but I knew it was impossible. All I could do was use my legs to kick at the very large man as he grew closer. He threw himself at me, however, his large body crashing down onto my ribs, straddling my legs as he slapped his palm across my cheek. I let out a shriek, refusing to stop struggling as he tried to lift up the bottom of my dress. I kept kicking at him, but it was all futile. There was nothing to stop him from taking me, from using me in a way that horrified me.

"Godric!" I cried out one last time, praying that the vampire would come to my aid.

I waited and waited however, but the vampire never showed his face. It was Sookie who tried to come to my rescue, rushing back at the man but he only once again shoved her aside.

"Let me show you how a real man is." Gabe snarled, pushing the hem of my dress up, his hands touching me in a way that no one other than Godric had ever touched me. I knew what was going to happen. This man was going to rape me, if not kill me. I refused to give up, to just sit there and let him do something so horrible to me. But I felt my hope beginning to diminish. I felt like perhaps I would want to burn right alongside of Godric, if only just to forget these horrible memories that would forever haunt me.

And then, just like that, suddenly the weight was lifted off of my form. The eyes I never knew I had even closed, flashed open and I was stunned to find Godric standing before me, his fangs extended as he held Gabe by the scruff of his neck.

"Godric?" I whispered out, only to gasp as Godric reached up and snapped Gabe's neck, the man falling to the floor in a motionless heap.


	32. Chapter Thirty One

**Chapter Thirty One:**

My eyes were as wide as saucers as Gabe lay there on the ground before me, his neck snapped, his eyes wide open and yet so lifeless. It shouldn't have come as a shock to witness Godric acting like the vampire that he was. I had watched him kill others before my very eyes in order to protect me. He had killed Damien, he had killed those humans that had nearly raped and killed me. He was always sweeping in and saving the day, even if it did mean letting that inner beast out that he would rather keep shoved deep inside of himself.

"Godric?" Sookie was the first to speak, breaking the silence.

I let my gaze move over to the blonde who was looking between Godric and me with wonder. I was sure she wasn't expecting a two thousand year old vampire to look no older than a mere teenager. I had been surprised myself when I found out his age. It was amazing to believe that this vampire had lived through millenniums while stuck in such a young body.

"You should not have come." Godric sighed, his fangs retracting as he shot Sookie a mere glance before I could feel his gaze resting on me. "My love."

"Godric." I whispered, a tear slipping down my cheek as I raised my gaze to meet his. The moment our eyes locked, I couldn't control the tears as they slipped down my cheeks.

Godric's eyes closed for a moment before reopening as he knelt down beside me, his hands running up my strained arms and to where the handcuffs were locked. I winced as he broke them free, gently lowering my arms until my wrists were held in his. His thumb glided lightly over my broken wrist, but even that mere touch was enough to cause me to flinch and cry out in pain.

"I'll heal this for you the first moment I can." He vowed, his other hand rising up to cup my cheek. I moved into his touch, his fingers caressing my cheek as he tried to brush my tears away. "No more tears, my sweet, no more tears."

"I want to go home." I closed my eyes and just wept, wanting more than anything to just go home with Godric and to lie in his arms.

"And we will." He assured, forcing my eyes to open in surprise.

"We?" I asked hopefully.

Before he could respond however, a crash sounded from somewhere in the church, screams meeting our ears.

"Bill!" Sookie scurried to her feet.

A pained expression crossed Godric's face however, as he shook his head. "No. I'm here my child, down here."

I knew Eric was here, finally, and a part of me knew for certain that we were all going to get out of this alive. Including Godric. But that still didn't change anything. That didn't change the fact that Godric still had a suicidal death wish.

It was only seconds later that the door to the basement smashed open and none other than Eric Northman stood in the doorway. Godric sighed as he gently lifted me up onto my feet, brushing his lips against my forehead before turning towards Eric. Eric's eyes were wide as I watched him. His gaze flickered over to Sookie and me for the quickest second before resting back on Godric. I could tell at that moment just how worried Eric had been for his maker's safety. They may have disagreed, they may have argued at times. But there was no denying that they loved and cared for one another.

"Godric." Eric flashed before Godric before falling to his knees, his head bowed as he knelt there before his maker.

"You were a fool for sending humans after us."

"I had no other choice." Eric raised his gaze to meet Godric's. "These savages, they seek to destroy you. Both of you."

Eric sent me the smallest look, one I returned before his attention was focused back on his maker.

"I'm aware of what they have planned for us." Godric too looked in my direction sadly before dropping his gaze to where Hugo lay unconscious. "This one betrayed us."

"He's with the fellowship." Sookie wrapped her arms around herself. "They set a trap for us."

Eric didn't even send Hugo a single glance, ignoring the traitor in favour of ensuring his maker was well. "How long has it been since you fed?"

"I require very little blood anymore." Godric assured him before an alarm sounded in the church. I cursed under my breath as a blue light began flashing. "Save the humans. Go on."

Eric frowned. "I'm not leaving your side until you're..."

"I can take care of myself." Godric hissed.

"We have to go." Sookie agreed, taking a step forward.

"Godric..." Eric tried to shake his head.

"Spill no blood on your way out. Go." Godric sent him a pointed look. "Take them and go."

"I'm not leaving you down here." I refused, nursing my wrist to my chest. "I'm not leaving you again."

Godric sighed and turned towards me. "Taylor, please."

"No. You wouldn't leave when I asked you to before. I won't leave you now." I stood my ground.

Eric looked between us with his eyebrows furrowed. "What is she talking about?"

"You must leave. All of you." Godric insisted, though he was looking directly at me. "Please Taylor, do this for me. Leave."

"Not without you."

"I'll be right behind you." He promised.

"I don't believe you." I shook my head.

"Taylor." He frowned, looking more exhausted than I've ever seen him.

"Godric." I shot back.

"I promise you I will be right behind you. I promise I will not stay. But you must go now, before it's too late." He was pleading now. "Please."

"Taylor." Eric voiced, standing as he ushered Sookie towards the door. "It's time to go."

"But..."

"You will not lose me, my love." Godric stepped forward, raising a hand to cup my cheek once again. "I promise you this."

I sighed, trying to decide what to do. Part of me wondered if Godric was lying or not. He wanted to meet the sun. He wanted to die. So then why would he leave with us tonight then? But on the other hand, Eric was here now. He must know that Eric would start World War three before letting anyone harm his maker.

"I promise." His whispered, his lips hovering over mine.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I made my decision. I had never thought twice about believing Godric in the past. I had always trusted him. I was going to have to put my trust in him once again, and hope that he wouldn't break his promise.

"Fine. But I swear to all that is holy that once we're all out of here, I'm going to slap you so hard it'll probably end up breaking my hand." My eyes opened and I sent him a hard look.

He merely nodded, taking a step back so I could pass. I hesitated at first, but after a moment, Eric reached over and grabbed my arm, tugging me out of the makeshift prison I was more than happy to escape from. I stared at Godric's still form from over my shoulder as Eric pulled me towards the basement stairs. It was only after I had lost sight of him that I sighed and turned forward, letting the vampire drag me up the stairs and to the main level of the church.

As we reached the top of the stairs, Eric moved in front of Sookie, gazing around the corner as families were ushered out of the church.

"I could have you both out of here in seconds."

"There's kids out there." Sookie reminded him.

"None of those humans would think twice about hurting us." He gazed over his shoulder to where I was leaning against the doorway, one of my arms wrapped securely around my still burning ribs. "They already have."

"Why didn't you bring Bill with you?" Sookie questioned.

"His attachment to you is irrational. It clouds his judgement. He would kill every child in this church to save you."

"Why aren't you?" Sookie raised an eyebrow.

"Godric told him not to." I knew how powerful a maker's orders could be. And I knew that Eric would do anything for Godric, even if it meant not touching a single member of the church that had captured his maker.

Eric barely even sent me a look. "I'm following Godric's orders and getting both of you out of here."

"He's your maker, isn't he?"

"Don't use words you don't understand." Eric's jaw tightened.

"You have a lot of love for him." Sookie commented.

Eric hesitated, as if he didn't understand the meaning of what she was saying. But we all knew just how deeply Eric cared for Godric. "Don't use words I don't understand."

Eric turned his back to us, glancing back around the corner before stepping forward.

"Eric, no!" Sookie whispered hurriedly to him. "What are you doing?"

I just watched the two, watched as Eric turned and moved towards the blonde, invading her personal space. I raised an eyebrow at the way Eric was staring at Sookie. He would never admit it, but there was a flicker of emotion there as he stared deeply into those warm brown eyes of hers.

"Trust me." he whispered, growing so close he could have kissed her at that moment.

He didn't however, though by the look on Sookie's face, I wasn't so sure she would have hated it if he had. I stifled a chuckle as Eric turned and walked out into the open. Sookie watched closely, ensuring that nothing went awry while I turned my attention back to the basement stairs. Godric still hadn't followed us.

"Come on Godric." I whispered. "Don't break your promise, please. I need you."

There was a commotion going on behind me, Sookie shouting out and running to stop Eric before he could do anything stupid. I was barely paying attention, my gaze solely focused on the basement stairs, as if Godric would just walk up them at any moment.

"We need to go. Now." Eric appeared behind me, grabbing my arm and dragging me further away from the basement.

"But Godric..." I tried to struggle against him, only to wince in pain.

"He can take care of himself. There's nothing else we can do." He sent me a pointed look as Sookie ushered us towards the closed doors of the sanctuary.

I sighed, but knew Eric was right. We couldn't force Godric to follow us. All we could do was hope Godric would find us, would leave that basement before he wouldn't be able to anymore.

Eric threw the doors to the sanctuary open as we hurried through them. Sookie was at his side while Eric continued to drag me behind him. I was being compliant however, but I knew the vampire wouldn't risk letting me out of his grasps. There had been a silent promise between the two vampires, and despite the dislike we may have for one another, Eric would ensure I got out of here safely. He may have not liked the fact that his maker was so infatuated with a human, but he respected Godric enough to protect me, much like he had done that night Damien had nearly killed me.

"Where's the exit?" Eric questioned.

"Back that way." Sookie pointed to the front of the sanctuary.

"There are several exits, actually." I groaned as that annoying voice pulled us to a halt. Steve Newlin walked out onto the raised platform, a smug smirk nestled on his lips as he stood before us in all white. "For you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell."

"Oh fuck." I muttered as the doors around us opened, groups of men and a few women entering the sanctuary holding stakes and silver chains, looking ready to fight. I turned around, catching sight of some of the familiar faces and couldn't help but shake my head. Did they really think they could take on a thousand year old vampire? Eric could kill each and every one of them in seconds if he hadn't of promised Godric not to do so. I was wishing, at that moment, that he hadn't of promised that. It would have made getting out of here so much easier. Now, we would have to indulge Steve and his brainwashed psychos, and that was the last thing I wanted. They all deserved to die a painful death, and I didn't mind admitting that in a house of God. He wouldn't have approved of this massacre against vampires and innocent women, would he?

"Let us leave!" Sookie pleaded with the crazies as they began to surround us. Eric tugged me to his side, his fingers digging into my arm. I bit down hard on my bottom lip to keep from wincing out, and was just thankful that he wasn't holding onto the arm with my broken wrist. "Save yourselves! No one has to die."

"The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan. You vampires cast the first stone by killing my family." Steve's expression hardened as he glared at us. "The lines have been drawn. You're either with us, or against us. We are prepared for Armageddon."

"Are you listening to yourself?" I snorted. "You've gone absolutely insane.

Eric glared down at me, his grip tightening as if to tell me to shut up.

"The vampire you're holding prisoner got away." Sookie burst out. "He's a sheriff. He's bound to send for help."

"I'm not concerned with Godric." Steve shook his head. "Any vampire will do for our grand celebration."

"Oh no." I whispered to myself, my eyes growing wide as I realized what he was saying.

"And we've got one right here." That smirk grew even wider on that despicable human's face as he pointed smugly at Eric.

The blood drained from my face as I looked up at Eric, realizing for the first time just how that attempted vision of mine came to be. This was how I came to smell Eric's flesh burning. This was how I came to hear his pleas to sacrifice himself for Godric's life.

"No." I shook my head, grasping onto Eric's arm and refusing to let him go. "No, you won't kill him."

Steve looked directly at me, snickering cruelly. "We can always tie you two together. I wouldn't mind watching you burn, you witch."

"No." Eric hissed at Steve before letting his gaze fall onto me. "I'll be fine."

"But my vision." I held onto him even tighter. "Eric, the vision I had about you..."

Eric sighed as he pried my fingers from around his arm. "I'll be fine, Taylor."

"Eric..."

He merely shook his head as he stepped forward, growing closer to the man who had caused me so much pain in such a short amount of time.

"Brothers and sisters, there will be a holy bonfire at dawn." He began laughing like the psychotic crazy that he was. "Silver chains for our guest, please."

Sookie and I were forced to just stand there and watch as silver chains were brought forward. I tried to leap forward at one point, not able to just stand by and watch this happen without doing a damn thing, but two men came to my side, grabbing at my arms and subduing me. I tried to struggle against them as Eric was stripped of his leather jacket and led up onto the raised platform. He didn't give Steve a second glance as a silver chain was wrapped around his neck. His hands curled into fists as a strangled cry emitted from his lips. He was forced down to his knees as his flesh began to burn. My vision began to blur from the tears, hating that yet another one of my visions were occurring and there was not a damn thing I could do to stop this. I never thought I would ever cry over Eric Northman of all people. But I had learned a long time ago that I would do anything to protect him, much like he had silently promised to do the same for me. I had risked my life that night long ago, taking those wooden bullets for him. But I couldn't take those bullets for him again. I couldn't take his place as he was forced onto a long podium, silver chains being thrown across every part of his body.

"Eric!" I called out to him, struggling against the men holding me back. "Let him go! Stop it!"

"Disgusting." Steve shook his head. "Absolutely disgusting. It was bad enough you were associated with Godric, but now you're crying over another vampire? There's no hope left for your soul."

"You're going to pay for this. You're going to get yours one day." I threatened, my eyes narrowing at the man.

He just smirked as he walked around Eric's pained form, watching with glee as the smoke rose from his body. It was horrifying to witness Eric in such pain, to watch his flesh burn. His fangs had extended out of pain, and he could no longer fight the gasps of agony any longer. I wasn't the only one who was struggling, as Sookie was right there along side of me, unable to watch Eric in such pain.

"I...I offer myself in exchange for Godric's freedom." Eric gasped out, the pain obvious in his strained tone. He tried to keep still, to keep the silver from digging further into his bare flesh, but it was impossible. "And the girls' as well"

It shouldn't have shocked me to hear his sacrifice. I had heard it in my vision, after all. I knew it was coming. But to see Eric in this way, to hear his offer to free not only Godric, but Sookie and myself, it made me see Eric in a whole different light. He may have been a complete cold hearted bastard a good amount of the time. But there was a side of him that cared, that wasn't as tough as he portrayed. I think I found a bit more respect for the former Viking.

"That's noble, but they're just as evil as you are. They're traitors to their own race; the human race! They hardly deserve mercy."

"You're sick." I spat at Steve, wishing I could just cut out his tongue so I wouldn't have to hear him speak ever again.

He just snickered as he lowered himself down to Eric's level, his gaze never rising from mine. "Maybe we should tie that one to you so you can meet the sun together. I did have plans for her and Godric, but you'll do I suppose."

Eric hissed, trying to grab at Steve, only for the silver to rip into his flesh and elicit a cry of pain from the vampire. Steve waltzed towards Sookie and me, but he only had eyes for me as he grew closer. I felt sickened by the way he was staring at me. I knew at that moment that he would just love to watch Eric burst into flames, taking me to hell right along with him. How could this be a man of God when he was just so cruel?

I was almost glad when the sanctuary doors suddenly burst open and a brown haired vampire came rushing in.

"Sookie!"

"Bill..." Sookie sighed out of relief.

The vampire I assumed to be Sookie's vampire lover flashed forward, only to be stopped as Steve pulled out a gun and pointed it right at Sookie's forehead. My eyes grew wide as I stared at that gun. It may not have been pointed at me, but to see this man wielding a gun was just terrifying.

"One more step vampire, and the girl dies." Steve warned.

"If you shoot her, everyone here will die. Let her go, now." Bill demanded.

Steve just rolled his eyes as he looked between Sookie and I. "Honestly what do all these vampires see in the two of you? You're just whores. Soldiers, some silver chains for our friend here."

"Don't, he's done nothing to you." Sookie began to panic. I understood that look on her face perfectly. It was exactly how I felt when I first found Godric in this church, offering himself for my life.

"Sookie, I will be fine." Bill assured her before another voice shouted in the church.

"Newlin!" the voice came from the opposite side of the church before what sounded like a gun went off, hitting Steve right in the hand.

My eyes grew wide, the entire church coming to a standstill. I peered closely, and found instead of a bloody hole in Steve's hand, only a wad of paint. A paintball gun. Of course. It would have been wishful thinking for a real gun.

I took that moment, while everyone was distracted, to break free of the men holding me. I kicked one in the shin and elbowed the other, the two immediately letting me go. I rushed up the few stairs to where Eric lay on the podium, the vampire staring up at me in surprise.

"Funny how it's always me saving you, huh?" I mused with a small forced smile. Eric just sent me a glare as I carefully began to raise the chains from the vampire. The paintball gun went off once again by the time Eric was free, only for the vampire to flash in front of the Reverend and grasp him by the neck. I felt completely satisfied to watch Eric slam Steve down onto the ground, his fangs baring down at him. I would love nothing more than to watch Eric rip his throat out with his bare hands.

"Eric, do not kill him!" Sookie screamed at him, Bill wrapping his arms around her.

"Kill him, kill the mother fucker!" the blonde who had hot the paintball gun egged Eric on while I stood off to the side silently agreeing.

"Go ahead." Steve gasped out as Eric's grasp tightened around his neck. "Murder us. Murder us before God. We are willing to die."

I looked around at the now frightened congregation standing there looking like mere children playing with weapons. I had a feeling not a single one of them was willing to die. They may not have a choice in the matter, however, as once again, the double doors to the church burst open, only this time, it was Stan and familiar vampire faces that stepped into the sanctuary, ready for the war that had been raged by this very church.

"Steve Newlin, you have pushed us too far." Stan came to a stop, his smirk widening as vampire after vampire entered behind him. "You expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up you men to come kill us? We'll kill you first. The same way we did your father."

"Oh Stan." I shook my head.

"Murderer!" Steve shouted in accusation only for Eric to tighten his grip.

"Destroy them. All of them." For once, I couldn't agree with Stan more.

I did yelp however, as I pressed myself against the podium, watching as the vampires flashed around the room, grabbing onto humans, yanking their heads to the side and poising themselves to attack. I shot Eric a look who was suddenly at my side, grasping me by the arm and keeping me out of harm's way. I waited for the bloodshed, for humans to begin dropping like flies. But I was once again surprised by the interruption.

"Enough!" an all too familiar voice rang out, halting everything.

I held my breath as I moved my gaze up to where the organ pipes stood on the balcony of the church. There Godric stood, looking almost like an angel as he gazed down upon us. His gaze fell first on Eric before his stare moved to me for the briefest of seconds before turning his attention onto Stan.

"You came for me, I assume. Underling." Godric sent Stan a pointed look.

"Yes Sheriff." Stan looked anything but pleased to have Godric interrupt his fun.

"These people have not harmed me."

My mouth dropped open. Was he kidding me? Was he absolutely delusional? They kidnapped me, chained him up, hurt both of us, and now he was claiming no one was hurt? What in the world was wrong with the vampire I had fallen in love with?

"You see, we can coexist. Mr. Newlin, I do not wish to create bloodshed when none is called for. Help me set an example. If we leave you in peace, will you do the same?"

"He's insane." I breathed out, though Eric was the only one to have heard me. He grunted, but with one look, I could tell he agreed with me.

"I will not negotiate with subhumans." Steve spat in disgust, kneeling before Eric and loosening his tie. "Kill me. Do it. Jesus will protect me."

"I'm actually older than your Jesus. I wish I could have known him, but I missed it." there was a hint of amusement in his tone before suddenly, he disappeared from the balcony all together before appearing behind Steve and to my right. I had to struggle against the urge to reach out to him as he grabbed onto the collar of Steve's white jacket and forced him to his feet.

"Good people," Godric looked out to those cowering in the church. "Who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?"

Just as I expected, not a single person stepped forward, made a single peep. No one was willing to die for this psychotic man. They had all been brainwashed, and maybe there was no hope for them. But they weren't too far gone to recognize complete idiocy when they saw it.

"That's what I thought. Stand down everyone." Godric spoke to the vampires, sending them pointed looks and earning groans of protest. "People, go home. It's over now."

I watched as the vampires let go of the humans they had been clutching, the brainwashed crazies hurrying from the church, hurrying from the vampires that wouldn't hesitate to end their lives.

"Please, don't leave me!" Steve called out, but not a single human stopped to give him a second glance.

Godric shoved Steve back down to his knees, a look of disgust crossing his face. "I daresay my faith in humankind is stronger than yours." His gaze fell on me for a moment, though he looked away seconds later as if he was almost ashamed. "Come."

He stepped down from the stairs and stopped just before the aisle of pews. He sighed and held out a hand for me. I stared at his hand for the longest time, deciding what to do. It was Eric, however, that nudged me forward, nodding at me to go with Godric. It was a surprising gesture from the vampire that had hated the mere thought of Godric loving a human. Maybe he was beginning to warm up to the idea of me. Maybe hell had frozen over. Either way, I did take Godric's hand, letting his fingers intertwine with mine. I held my broken wrist to my chest as Godric led the way down the aisle, only stopping when Stan placed himself in our path.

"Sir, after what these humans have done to you, to both of you." His gaze flickered to me.

"I said come." The authority radiated from the ancient vampire.

Stan thought twice about challenging his sheriff and sighed as he moved to the side to let us pass. I could hear the vampires faintly following Godric and I out of the church. Not a single word was spoken until we had left the sanctuary and the church all together. I inhaled deeply, taking my first whiff of fresh air since god even knows how long. I let my eyes close, the warm breeze washing over me. I was only brought out of the moment by a hand squeezing mine, and I remembered where I was. I sighed as I opened my eyes, only to find Godric's bright blue orbs staring down at me. His orbs searched mine, as if looking for the answers to his unasked questions.

"Let's go home." I whispered, not sure I had enough strength to say anything else. At least not yet. Maybe once we were safely home I would slap him, I would yell at him for everything. But right now, I just wanted to be in his arms, I just wanted to know that we were safe and sound.

"I'm sorry." The backs of his fingers caressed my cheek. "I truly am sorry for all the pain they, and I, have caused you."

"I just want to go home." I could feel my bottom lip tremble and I had to close my eyes to stop the rising emotions. "Just take me home, Godric. Please."

"Godric." Eric's voice reached us.

"Eric, not now."

"You're going to have to answer to me at some point." Eric pointed out. "We all know you could have left their clutches at any moment."

"Not now." Godric's voice was strained as suddenly, I felt myself being lifted up into his arms. "Just not now."

Before another word could be spoken, I felt the vampire lift up into the night sky, leaving behind the nightmare I wasn't so sure I could easily forget.


	33. Chapter Thirty Two

**Chapter Thirty Two:**

Godric and I had barely stepped into the house before I turned around to slap him right across the face. The pain that shot up my arm as I retracted my hand was worth it as Godric bowed his head in shame.

"Taylor..."

"Don't Taylor me." I hissed at him, holding both of my hands to my chest as they both throbbed. "How could you?"

"If you'll only allow me to explain."

"No. No I don't want you to feed me lines of bullshit." I shook my head angrily. "Do you even realize how much pain you put me through back there? Do you realize what you did to me?"

"And for that, I'm truly sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen." He sighed heavily.

"That I know is true. But still, Godric, still you hurt me. I tried to free us. Hell, you could have broken free at any time. And yet you didn't!" I felt the urge to slap him again, but thought against doing so. I didn't need any more broken bones. I was in enough pain as it was. "How could you do that? How could you just be so cruel?"

Godric lifted his gaze to meet mine and I saw the pain in those blue orbs of his. "I never meant to hurt you. I thought I was choosing the better fate."

"To let them kill you? To let them kill both of us?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't have let them harm you." He shook his head.

"For a two thousand year old vampire, you can be mighty stupid, Godric." I shook my head in disbelief. "They were going to kill me either way, Godric. And if by chance they didn't kill me, I would have been forced to go on with my life without you. Do you know how painful that would have been? I would rather death than to ever endear that pain."

"Don't say that." Godric frowned. "Don't say such things."

"You really don't get it, do you?" tears began forming in my eyes. "I love you Godric. I love you so much. You consume me. You're everything. Watching you in there, it was horrible. It felt like my heart was ripping in two. I tried everything in my power to get you out of there, for us to be free. And you just threw it back into my face. You just accepted a fate that you never should have wanted, and you didn't even care about how painful that would be for me."

"Taylor..." he tried to reach out to me, but I only shook my head and stepped away from him.

"You were selfish. You were blind and stupid and selfish. They were going to kill us both. I tried to free both of us and you just didn't care. You just abandoned me when I needed you the most. You say you never meant for any of this to happen, you say you never wanted to hurt me, well I'm sorry Godric, but you did hurt me. You hurt me a hell of a lot and I'm not sure I can forgive you for that."

Godric sighed as he bowed his head once again, unable to look me in the eye. That was just fine by me as the tears began slipping down my cheeks, unable to stop the emotions as they overcame me. I squeezed my eyes shut as my form began to shake. I had to grit my teeth together to keep from crying out, my body still burning in pain. We just stood there, across from one another, close enough to reach out and touch each other. And yet, we stood apart. Neither of us looked at the other. It was the furthest apart I had ever felt from Godric since I had known him, since I had met him all those months ago. I loved him, and I doubt anything would ever change that, but he had hurt me inside of that church. His acceptance of his potential death had just destroyed me, and he hardly even seemed to have cared. And now that we were safe and sound from that church, I knew what was to come in the future. I knew what fate would be waiting for this vampire at some point. He hadn't met the sun at the hands of the fellowship, but one morning, he would step out into the sun on his own free will and let the rays of light envelop his body.

A soft sob escaped from my lips as I couldn't stop myself from breaking down at that moment. My body was in too much pain. My heart ached just a little too much. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and I just wished I could have been able to turn the clock back to a much happier time. But I couldn't. This was my reality now. I would have to go on every single day, just waiting for the morning that Godric may not be there. And that just killed me inside.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I felt a pair of arms wrap around my shaking form and I knew right away Godric was trying to comfort me.

I tried to struggle against him. I tried to push him away. "I hate you. I hate you for doing that to me."

"I know. I'm so sorry, my love." He held me against him so tightly, I was forced to be still, to just let him hold me. He stroked my hair with one hand, an action that had once soothed me but now only multiplied the tears. Because a part of me knew I wouldn't have this vampire as mine for too much longer. He was going to be taken away from me soon, and he would be the one to do so. It would be his desire to leave me, to meet the sun, not anyone else. And that hurt the worse.

I wasn't sure how long we stood there. I wasn't sure how long it took before my body began to relax, began to melt into his embrace. I was growing too tired to fight, to be angry with him. I wasn't sure I could ever forgive Godric for these thoughts of his, for the desires he held. But a part of me just wanted him to hold me, just wanted to kiss him and forget about everything else just for this one night. We were free now; I was given at least a little bit more time. That was something, right?

"I know you may never forgive me. But I wish for it." he whispered in my ear, his nose nuzzling into the crook of my neck. "I'm so sorry for ever hurting you."

"You should be." Eric's gruff voice sounded from behind Godric.

I sighed as I leaned my forehead against Godric's chest, the vampire tensing as Eric entered the house.

"So, would someone like to explain to me what exactly that was back there? You didn't look very kidnapped to me, Godric." I peeked around Godric's arms to find Eric standing there beside us, his arms crossed, his eyes narrowed into slits as he glared down at his maker.

"Eric, not now." Godric shook his head.

"Now seems like a perfect time." Eric didn't sound very happy with his maker at all. "We all know they couldn't have simply kidnapped a two thousand year old vampire. Even if they could have, they wouldn't have been able to hold you captive. So please, enlighten me as to why you were down in that basement for nearly a week."

I had never heard Eric sound so angry with his maker. They had argued before, mostly over me. But never had I heard Eric sound so angry, so frustrated with Godric. I couldn't exactly blame him though. I felt just as angry, just as frustrated. Eric and I were finally on the same page, finally agreeing on something. But it was over a subject neither of us ever wanted to deal with.

"Not tonight. Please, my child. I don't wish to speak of this tonight." Godric sighed.

"When then? When are we going to talk about this?" Eric pressed.

"Soon, I promise you that. Just not right now."

"No, maybe you should tell us why." I pulled myself out of Godric's arms and looked the vampire dead in the eye. "Maybe you should tell both Eric and I why you wanted to meet the sun. Why you still do."

"I..." Godric looked at a loss of what to say.

"That isn't true, is it?" Eric demanded to know. "You didn't want o meet the sun, did you, master?"

"Of course not." Godric replied softly, though neither Eric nor I believed him one bit. "I was only doing what I had to to ensure Taylor's safety."

"You could have escaped." Eric pointed out.

"I even tried to." I reminded him. "We would have both been perfectly safe if you had only just let me free both of us."

Godric hung his head. "All I can do is offer my sincerest apologies for hurting both of you. I never meant for any of this, you must know that. I was only doing what I had to."

"You knew what would have happened if you came to that church. You should have just stayed away."

"How could I do that, Taylor? How could I just sit back and let them hurt the only woman I've ever come to love?" Godric questioned with a shake of his head. "There was never any question about it, Taylor. I would have gone to the end of the world and back to keep you safe."

"Well a load that did." I held up my broken wrist before pointing at my heart. "Though you hurt this the most."

"And for that I'm sorry."

"I know you are." I sighed. I really did know that he was sorry. I could see it in his eyes. I could see the guilt and remorse. But it just wasn't enough. Because while he was sorry about hurting me like he did, it still didn't change anything. It didn't change the fact that he wanted to meet the sun. It didn't change what I saw, what was supposed to happen at some point in the future. He could be sorry all he wanted to be, but that didn't change a damn thing. "But I don't think that changes anything. You're sorry about what you did, the pain you caused me, but you're not really sorry about how you feel, now are you?"

Godric looked away, unable to deny what we all knew. Eric scoffed, growing even angrier. I eyed the vampire from the corner of my eye and noted that he looked ready to start tearing things apart. Be that furniture or even a person, I knew right now wasn't the time for this. We had just all survived what could have been an even more horrific night than it had already turned out to be. There were vampires on their way back to the nest, another grand party being thrown in honour of Godric's return. We couldn't be caught fighting or ripping the house apart. How we felt, the answers I still wanted from Godric, unfortunately they would have to wait. At least until everyone went home and I was left with the man I loved, just lying in his arms in our bed. Maybe then I could bring this up and he would be honest with me, he would entrust me with his feelings and just let me help him.

"Look, we can't do this right now." I made sure to shoot Eric a pointed look. "Any minute now the rest of the vampires are going to come through that door and this isn't really a conversation we want others to listen in on."

"Taylor is right." Godric nodded, though I think he was just relieved to have this conversation over.

"But the moment we're alone Godric," My expression hardened. "We are going to talk about this. I might even slap you again. There will definitely be some more yelling, probably some tears. So just prepare yourself."

"I understand." Godric's shoulders slumped forward in an uncharacteristic fashion for the usually put together vampire. His expression grew solemn, his eyes turning blank as he masked away the emotions of the night. "Let me at least heal you, my love."

"I think that would be for the best." I nodded.

"How can you just pretend none of this happened?" Eric growled, clearly not happy with our decision to postpone this conversation.

"It's not easy but we have to, Eric. Just for a few more hours. And then you can go ahead and yell at your maker all you want."

Eric grumbled in another language under his breath before twisting around and storming from the hallway. Godric sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose before resting his gaze on me. He held out his hand to me, a hopeful look in those blue orbs of his.

"Shall we?"

I didn't hesitate to take his hand this time, my hand slipping into his with ease. The act brought the tiniest relieved smile to Godric's face as he squeezed my hand gently before leading the way deeper into the house and to his bedroom. I still loved Godric. I still loved the feel of his hand holding mine, of what that smile did to me. And while there were still so many unanswered questions, while there were still many hours of yelling just waiting to come out, I don't think I would ever stop loving Godric. He was it. He was the one. I just needed to find a way to persuade him to stay alive so that can continue to be true.

* * *

It was nearly an hour later when I left Godric's bedroom, newly healed and refreshed after a nice long hot shower. I couldn't remember the last time I had the luxury of a shower and despite everything that's happened and I knew was about to happen, I took a moment to enjoy the fact that I was no longer stuck in that hell hole any longer. I was free. There may be many questions I still needed answered. There was still Godric's inevitable meeting the sun fate in the near future. But at least the fellowship couldn't hurt us anymore. That was something, right?

"Well don't you just look ravishing?" A sarcastic voice stopped me as I slipped into the hallway outside of Godric's room.

I sighed and turned to find Eric leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and a less than pleased expression plastered across his face.

"Can I help you with something, Eric?" I raised an eyebrow and pressed down the hem of my loose t-shirt. I didn't care that I looked a little less than put together in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, but after being stuck in one dress for a long period of time, I was more than happy to be wearing something a bit more comfortable. I could care less what everyone else thought about how I looked.

"Couldn't fix yourself up nice, could you?" he remarked.

"No." I shot back at him. "Is there something you want, Eric, or do you just want to annoy the person who, oh yeah, saved your life _again_."

"You seem to have forgotten that if I hadn't of showed up at the church, you wouldn't have gotten very far." He made sure to point out, pushing himself off of the wall and waltzed towards me.

"I almost escaped once. I could have done it again." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Ah, yes, how exactly did you manage to screw that one up?" he snickered.

"Your maker decided he wanted to meet the sun over surviving." I spat a bit more harshly than I meant. But I was sick and tired of Eric. This was not a night I wanted to argue with him. We were on the same team here. But in typical Eric fashion, he wanted to be a lone ranger and frustrate everyone around him.

Eric's frown deepened as he stopped and stared down at me with such intensity, I had to look away. I shifted uncomfortably, not sure what else to say. I decided on just joining the party, trying to move passed the vampire when he grabbed me by the arm and stopped me.

"You had a vision, didn't you?"

"What?" I raised an eyebrow and gazed up at him.

"Godric could have just been adamant to save your life. Maybe he never wanted to meet the sun. But you seem damn sure about it."

"You didn't seem to mind agreeing with me earlier." I pointed out with pursed lips. "Let me go, Eric. It's been a long week; I don't want to argue with you right now."

"I agreed with you because I was just as angry as you were. I couldn't understand why Godric didn't escape when we all knew that he could. No human could hold Godric for that long. And I somehow don't believe it was entirely because of you."

"Right, because you don't believe Godric could actually love a human." I rolled my eyes. "I'm tired of having this same argument over and over again. I thought we were done being petty?"

"Just tell what you know, teacup. There has to be a reason you're so sure he wants to meet the sun. You're not hard to read, sweetheart. I see right through you. Tell me what you know." His grasp tightened around my upper arm as he drew me closer. "He's my maker, I need to know."

"You don't have to be such a jerk about it." I tried to shove him away, but I should have known better. I wouldn't be able to make this vampire budge even if I tried.

"Tell me. Now." His eyes narrowed into slits.

"Okay okay." I sighed but continued to struggle. "But let me go first. You're hurting me, Eric."

A low growl sounded form the back of his throat in annoyance but he obliged and let my arm go. I frowned and rubbed my arm as I took a good step back away from him. He just leaned back up against the wall, his arms crossing as he waited for me to spill. When I took a second longer than he would have liked, he began tapping his foot impatiently.

"Oh will you stop that." I snapped, gritting my teeth. "You're acting like a child, Eric."

"And you're getting on my last nerve. Fess up, teacup."

"Stop calling me that."

"Tell me what I want to know and maybe I'll stop seeing you all together."

"That would be wishful thinking." I snorted.

"Hurry it up, teacup, I don't have all night." he was growing more impatient by the second.

"Oh for the love of god, I saw him dying, Eric." I threw my arms up in the air. "I watched your maker, the man I loved, step out into the sun and burn. Are you happy now?"

Eric fell silent, an unreadable expression crossing his face. There was a flicker of fear in those deep blue orbs of his before he quickly masked the emotion and became a blank canvas.

"There's no longer any threat of that happening. The fellowship is out of the picture. They wouldn't dare harm you or Godric again." Eric shook his head after a moment.

"I know what I saw, Eric." I almost felt sorry for the vampire. It couldn't be easy to hear this. It was hard enough to be talking about it. I could already feel the rising lump in my throat, the emotions growing stronger as I relived that vision over and over again. It was horrifying to watch, to not be able to stop. I couldn't even imagine it happening. The mere thought of Godric meeting the sun destroyed me.

"It was only a vision. It could have meant anything."

I sighed and shook my head. "He wanted to burn, Eric. His exact words in fact. He was on a rooftop somewhere here in Dallas and as the sun rose, he..." I had to squeeze my eyes shut to control the forming tears. "He walked up to the edge before he...before he burst into flames."

"You don't know what you're talking about." He replied gruffly, pushing himself off of the wall.

I let out a small whimper before struggling to gain control of my own emotions. I shook my head, inhaling deeply before opening my blurry eyes to stare up at Eric.

"He wants to die, Eric. He wants to burn. He wants to meet the sun. I saw it happen. I watched as he died before my very eyes. I couldn't lie about something like that." My voice began wavering.

"Why would he want that? Why would he want to meet the sun when he has you?" Eric argued. "He loves you. I don't know why or how, but he does. Why would he throw that all away?"

I swallowed back the lump in my throat and shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Sometimes love just isn't enough."

"This isn't like him. My maker...he doesn't just give up. He can't be...what do you humans call it, depressed? Vampires don't get depressed."

"You and I both know Godric isn't like most vampires."

"He wouldn't do this. He wouldn't want this." Eric refused to believe the truth. "You think you saw what you did, but..."

"Believe what you want Eric, but I know what I saw, I know what we're going to be facing one day. God, do I ever wish I was just making this up. Do you think I want to go around knowing what I saw? It kills me to know that I'm not enough." A single tear slipped down my cheek and I quickly brushed it away. "I love him, but apparently that's not enough."

"But he's happy. Why would he want this?" his face contorted in confusion. "It makes no sense.

"When I think about it, when I really think about it, I realize there were symptoms all along." I admitted, running a hand through my still damp hair. "He's been sad lately. Distant sometimes. I thought he was just worried about the fellowship, but I see now that it was more than that."

"That doesn't mean anything." Eric insisted.

"How long were you two apart? How many years went by since you last saw him before you popped up here all those months ago? Because I don't think he's the same vampire you remember him as." I carefully pointed out, not wanting to set Eric off. One wrong thing being said and he would snap. He just had that look on his face.

"You know nothing about him." He stepped forward, towering over my short form with rage in his eyes.

"Maybe you're right, maybe I don't know him, not like you do anyways." I held my hands up in defence. "But you know, when I think back to the dreams I used to have, to when I first saw him in my visions, I realize now that he wasn't this happy vampire he may have been lately. He was...he was lonely, Eric. I think maybe after being alive for so long, he's gotten lonely."

"You think you're some expert now because of what you've seen." He drew even closer, forcing me to step back.

"I'm on your side Eric." I reminded him. "I don't want this. Do you think I want to lose him? I love him. I don't want to watch him go off and kill himself. That would destroy me, but I also know it would hurt you even worse."

"You don't know anything." He growled, his fangs suddenly extending.

I fought down the yelp that was threatening to escape as I stared at those sharp incisors.

"We need to find a way to make him happy again, Eric. We need to find a way to persuade him not to do this. We need to work as a team. We can't help him by arguing, by..."

"Damn it!" Eric lashed out, but instead of grabbing me and ripping me apart like I thought he would do for a moment there, he flashed down the hallway to where a table sat and threw it at the opposite wall. I jumped, watching Eric helplessly. I pitied him. I knew what he was feeling. I understood the range of emotions raging through him. But he had to know he wasn't alone in this. We may not agree on a lot of things, and I knew we would always butt heads, but Godric was the one thing we both had in common. We had to concentrate on him now, on making sure he didn't do anything stupid like go off and meet the sun. But we had to work together.

Even if that did sound absolutely impossible.

"Eric?" I cautiously stepped forward. "Look, I know this is hard to process, but we have to work together here to..."

"He will not die." He turned towards me, his chest unnecessarily rising as he breathed heavily. There was a wild beast behind those blue orbs of his, and I knew at that moment to never get on his bad side. I wasn't sure I would like angry Eric. "I won't allow it."

"Neither will I." I agreed. "We have to stop him."

"We won't let it happen."

"We won't." I nodded. "We hate each other, I get that. But this is about Godric. We need to focus on him, not on how much you piss me off or how much you hate that I'm around. We need to work together."

He almost looked disgusted by the idea, and I thought for a moment that all of this would have been for nothing. But after a long, drawn out moment, a clear look crossed Eric's eyes, a look of determination settling on his face.

"I refuse to let him die. Even if it means having to work with you." Eric stepped forward. "So you better damn well give it your all, _teacup_. Or else I'll ensure that you'll never show your face around here again. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear."

* * *

**A/N:** so, it's come that time...only a few chapters remain in this fic. I can't believe it's coming to a close already! but have no fear, because there is a sequel! I've had the plan for a sequel since nearly the very beginning, just the ending of this fic has changed. and believe me when I say you will be very glad there is a sequel or else I'm certain most of you will be throwing stones in my direction lol. that being said, I just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone sticking with this fic. I know there's been some long breaks between updates at times, but you are all some of the best dedicated readers out there so I thank you all for being so loyal. oh and you can expect the next chapter shortly. It's already written, it just needs to be edited.


	34. Chapter Thirty Three

**Chapter Thirty Three:**

"Sit with me?" Godric called out softly as I passed by the chair he was sitting in before the long line of vampires waiting to pay their respects. I glanced towards the line before shooting a look over to the blonde telepath I had been intending on chatting with. Now that we were free from the fellowship, I wanted to get to know Sookie better. I knew I had a task, that Eric and I needed to persuade Godric not to continue down this suicidal path. But I also wanted to speak with Sookie before she had to go back home to Louisiana. We may have different psychic gifts, but I felt an instant connection to her. She understood better than anyone what I've gone through my entire life. Godric may be the one helping me control my powers, but sometimes I just needed someone to talk to, someone who could understand.

But the look on Godric's face stopped me and erased every other thought from my mind. I couldn't help but smile as I nodded and took his hand. He tugged me to his side where an underling graciously moved a chair to beside Godric's. Godric thanked them kindly before they moved on, letting me sit beside the ancient vampire. I leaned towards him, pecking him on the lips before sending him a private smile, one that I had only ever shared with him. It was a look of love, one I wished was enough to bring him happiness. But I realized now, that sometimes love just wasn't enough. Godric was missing something, and I needed to figure out what that was before he did anything rash.

"I love you." His fingertips danced across my cheek lightly. "You've brought me a great deal of happiness, I hope you know that."

"I do." I nodded. And while I did believe that, I still didn't think it was enough for him. And I hated that. "I love you too. You changed my entire world, Godric."

"I will love you always."

I could only keep that smile plastered on my face as I squeezed his hand and let him get back to accepting the vampires' words. I sat there beside him, trying to keep control of the raging emotions inside of me. My hand tightened around Godric's, and while he shot me little looks every so often in concern, he never once questioned if I was alright or not. I caught Eric's eye a couple of times, but he never made his way over, giving his maker some space. Instead, he hassled Sookie and her boyfriend, Bill, who looked murderous whenever the blonde vampire was around. While perhaps I would be the president of the 'I Hate Eric Northman Fan Club', I didn't like the way the vampire was glaring at Eric, at how he was holding onto Sookie almost possessively. If someone merely looked in their direction, his arm around her waist seemed to tighten and he snarled at them. Sookie never noticed of course, too innocent and naive, like I was most of the time. But I saw it, and from the way Eric looked at Bill, I could tell he saw it too.

"You seem a thousand miles away." Godric commented after who I now knew to be Sookie's brother shuffled away after apologizing to Godric. "Is everything alright?"

"I'm fine." I assured him, though I could tell that he didn't buy it for a single moment.

"You wish to slap me again, don't you?"

"Maybe just a little." I shrugged, though the comment did lighten the weight on my chest. "I hate how you made me feel, Godric. I hate that you made me worry so damn much."

"I'm sorry. Truly I am." His thumb rubbed small circles on my wrist. "I will make amends, I promise you that."

I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but I wasn't entirely sure I wanted to know. "Just please promise you'll never do anything like that again. I can skip the yelling and the crying if you just promise me right here and now that you'll never let yourself get in that position again. You can never leave me, Godric. I love you too much to lose you like that. Please promise me."

Godric stared at me long and hard, not uttering a single word. His gaze searched mine, and I almost lost control of myself, a tear threatening to escape. Godric caught it however, the moment it slipped down my cheek, brushing it away with the pad of his thumb.

"I would never intentionally leave you, my love. I love you so very much." He leaned forward, capturing my lips with his.

I sighed into the kiss, forgetting that we were in a room full of vampires and their human blood bags. Most were used to our antics however. We had spent the last few months completely in love. I wish I could just return back to the beginning all over again and find a way to keep Godric happy.

"You are my most cherished gift." A rare smile crossed Godric's lips as he pulled away, cupping my cheek. "But I'm afraid that if we do not stop, I won't be able to control myself. You know how I get when I lose control."

I even found myself blushing as I remembered the many times Godric had 'lost control'. I've lost a few outfits from our escapades that nearly embarrassed me when I thought about them.

"I wanted to talk with Sookie anyways." I rose from my seat before dipping down and pecking him on the cheek. "I'll check in later, alright. I'll leave you to your people."

"Don't stray too far." He raised our still clasped hands to his lips, brushing them against my hand.

"I won't." I assured him before slipping my hand from his and moving through the crowded living room, searching for the blonde. I moved passed the fireplace and was about to walk into the adjoined lounge when I felt a pair of eyes on my back. I peeked over my shoulder and found Godric staring directly at me, blatantly ignoring the vampire before him. that smile on his face grew as he caught me staring before moving his gaze back up to the female vampire gushing all over him. I wished I could just freeze him when he was like this. He looked happy. He looked like he wouldn't want to do something so horrible. Maybe he was a better actor than I thought. Because I didn't understand at all why he would want to meet the sun and leave everything behind.

* * *

"Was what you said back in the church true?" Sookie wondered as we finally found a corner to ourselves to chat in. "Did you actually take bullets for Eric?"

I nodded as I sipped a bottle of water I had grabbed from the kitchen. "It was months ago. He was trying to help me, I guess, with my visions to try and figure out what might happen with the fellowship. Only I ended up having a vision of him dying right before my eyes."

"So what did you do?"

"I really only had seconds to react." I remembered that night like it was yesterday. "I just jumped in front of him."

"Why would you do that? f you don't mind me asking." Sookie tucked a strand of hair behind an ear. "I just can't imagine anyone taking a bullet for Eric of all people. He's just so...so..."

"Infuriating?" I offered.

"That's a nice way to put it." she snorted.

"He's a lot of things, but he loves Godric. And Godric loves him." I glanced over to where Godric sat, and I could tell by the look on his face that he was listening to Sookie and I. "I knew what losing Eric would do to Godric. And I didn't want him to ever feel that pain of losing someone that meant everything to him."

"So you selflessly sacrificed your life for someone who hates you?" Sookie raised an eyebrow. "I'm not sure I could have done that."

"I would have had a better chance of surviving the wooden bullets." I shrugged. "It wasn't really a hard decision. Maybe Eric didn't entirely deserve it at the time. But he's proven to be more than just an asshole. He's returned the favour even."

"He has? Now that seems unlikely."

"He went above and beyond the call of duty to save my life once. I know he did it more for Godric than for me, but he still did it." my gaze now fell on the blonde vampire who was making his way towards us, smirking from ear to ear. Of course he was listening in on our conversation. I was certain he had a radar for anytime his name was spoken out loud. And I didn't think he had taken his eyes off of Sookie ever since we joined the party. I wasn't sure what was going on there, but I think Mr. Tall, Gorgeous and Annoying had a little bit of a crush. "Speak of the devil."

"Hello ladies." He slid right up to us, causing the blonde beside me to roll her eyes and look away in disgust. "I couldn't help but overhear my name being brought up."

"We were discussing how shocking it is for you to do something for anyone besides yourself." Sookie threw at him. "I thought you were just a selfish jerk."

"That hurts, Miss Stackhouse." He mocked a pout.

She just rolled her eyes again as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I rescued you tonight, didn't I?"

"I was down there because of you." She made sure to point out.

"She does have a point there." I agreed.

He shot me a glare. "You can run off now, teacup."

"Or maybe you should leave." Sookie suggested.

"But then you would be all alone. That's not very wise when you smell so...delectable. And in a room full of vampires, no less." His smirk grew even wider.

"She's perfectly protected." Bill came sweeping in, shooting Eric a dark glare. "Sookie is mine, Eric. You seem to constantly forget that."

"She's yours for now, William." Eric looked over his competition, his smirk twisting into a snarl. "But one day soon, she'll realize what she's missing and she'll come running right into my arms."

"I doubt that." Sookie spat, allowing the brunette to help her up onto her feet and wrap his arms around her. "Come on, Bill, I think I need some fresh air."

She shot me an apologetic smile before Bill whisked her away. Eric just rolled his eyes as he watched them leave, the two disappearing out into the backyard.

"Does someone have a crush?" I mocked the vampire.

His eyes narrowed as he glared down at me. "Shouldn't you be a little more _helpful_ than you're being right now? You have _other things_ to do, don't you?"

I frowned at his vagueness, knowing exactly what he was talking about. I eyed Godric out the corner of my eye, and caught him staring at us curiously. He was probably ensuring Eric and I didn't start a commotion. But neither of us would think about doing that. We've all had a hard enough night. We didn't need even more drama on our hands.

"I was just making my way back over to Godric." I stood, brushing the invisible specs of dirt off of my jeans. "Please, go back to sulking. You seem excellent at that. Bill might have competition as the broodiest vampire."

He looked like he wanted to reach out and grab me, but I slipped passed him quickly, shooting through the crowd and to where Godric sat on the opposite side of the room.

"You're egging him on." Godric reprimanded softly.

"He deserves it." I shrugged, taking the seat I had abandoned earlier. "How's it going over here? You haven't brought the flags out yet; still surviving?"

He smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I'm fine."

"You're hating this. I know you are." I glanced towards the still long line of vampires. "Would you mind giving Godric a break? We've been trapped in the fellowship for a week. I think he needs a breather."

The vampires had grown used to my straight forwardness and complied, each going in a different direction and leaving the poor vampire alone for at least a few minutes.

"There, now we're as alone as we're going to get tonight." I moved out of the chair and climbed onto Godric's lap. I thought at first he was going to decline and push me away, but instead he simply wrapped an arm around me, securing me against him. I laid my head on his shoulder, my eyes fluttering close as I felt the exhaustion from the last week beginning to set in.

"You're tired, my sweet." Godric commented, stroking my hair with long strokes.

"Just a little bit." I admitted softly.

"You should go to bed."

"And leave you out here to fend off the dogs alone? Never." I shook my head, through I cuddled even closer to the vampire. We must have been a sight to see, but I didn't care one bit. After everything, and with what was to come, I didn't care at all about my public display of affection. He was my boyfriend, my lover, my everything. A little PDA didn't hurt anyone.

"I'll be fine."

"And I'm fine right here with you. This is where I want to be Godric, nowhere else."

Godric sighed, and I was almost afraid to ask what was on his mind. So I didn't. We were having a nearly perfect moment. I didn't want to ruin it. It wasn't going to last for very long as it was, as soon enough, the front door to the house slammed open. I opened my eyes, Godric and I both watching the entryway as Isabel came storming through, dragging none other than Hugo behind her. I caught the pained look on her face, and I could only imagine what she must be feeling right now. She loved Hugo. She truly did. And he just went and betrayed her.

"Here is the one that betrayed us." There was emotion in Isabel's voice as she forced Hugo down onto his knees before Godric and me.

"Taylor." Godric whispered to me and I nodded in understanding, slipping off his lap and into the chair beside his. "Hugo. He is your human, is he not?"

"Yes he is." She seemed pained to admit such a thing, and I could see just how hard this was for her. We had become so close since I first came here. She was almost like a second mother to me. It was hard to see her like this.

"Do you love him?" Godric peered down at Hugo before glancing up to his lieutenant. I raised an eyebrow. That was an odd question to ask. Godric should just execute him right then and there. I felt sorry for Isabel, and I wanted to embrace her and wished she didn't have to go through this pain. But I also felt a sudden desire to just rip Hugo's head off. He had caused all of us so much pain. He had been the traitor all along. Redemption was needed.

"I..." Isabel closed her eyes for a moment before continuing. "I thought I did.

Hugo bowed his head in shame and it took all of the strength in the world not to hit him for this. Because as angry as I may be, Isabel was the one who was feeling the brunt of the pain.

"It appears you love him still."

"I do." there were bloody tears running down Isabel's pale cheeks and I felt my heart break for her. "I'm sorry. But you are my Sheriff; do with him as you please."

The room was thick with tension as we all awaited the verdict. I clasped my hands together in my lap and glanced beside me to where Godric was sitting, staring down at Hugo in contemplation. I wondered what was taking so long. Was he trying to decide how severe the punishment should be? Could he not decide what fate for this traitor to have because he was worried about Isabel's reaction?

"You are free to go."

A gasp in unison rang throughout the room. My eyes grew wide as I stared at Godric in shock. Was he serious? Was he being completely serious right now? He was just going to let Hugo go, just like that? But what about all that he had done? It was because of Hugo that I had been kidnapped, that Godric had been forced to sacrifice himself for my life. None of us would have had to endure that pain if it hadn't of been for this man before us. So why was he just letting him walk free?

"What!" Stan stepped forward, he too surprised at the verdict.

"The human is free to go." Godric raised his gaze to meet Stan's, sending him a pointed look. After a long, steady gaze, his gaze dropped back to Hugo's kneeling form. "And do not return. I fear it's not safe for you here."

He said the last part while staring at Stan, and we all knew that if given the chance, Stan would happily rip Hugo apart. And shockingly enough, I gladly would have offered to help. I know Godric wasn't like every other vampire, I had known that since the first dream I had of him. But this, this was just being too generous. Hugo was a traitor, one who deserved to be punished for his crimes.

"This is a travesty." Amen to that.

"This is my verdict." Godric's tone was still calm, but I could hear the authoritative edge in his voice. "Eric. Escort them out. Make sure he leaves unharmed."

"Yes Godric." Eric nodded, though I could tell he was just as surprised as I was.

"Thank you. Thank you Sheriff." There were tears of gratefulness sliding down Isabel's cheeks now as Eric grabbed Hugo by the scruff of his neck and dragged him from the room.

The room remained silent until the front door open and then closed a few moments later. Slowly, everything began to return to normal, the music resuming, everyone chatting about what had just occurred. Stan looked disgusted as he stormed from the room, while I just sat there in complete and utter shock.

"How could you?" I found myself asking, turning my head to stare at the man I loved. "How could you just let him walk free?"

"What would it have proven to take his life, to torture him for his crimes?" Godric asked sadly. "He was regretful, I could see that."

"But if it hadn't of been for him, then I never would have been kidnapped." I reminded him. "I never would have been shot taking those bullets for Eric. Did you just have a momentary memory lapse?"

"I don't wish for any more bloodshed. Not at my hands." Godric shook his head.

"There's no blood involved with snapping a guys neck." I muttered, but I knew he could hear me perfectly.

"Taylor." He shot me a look of surprise.

"He nearly got us killed, Godric!" I stood, unable to stay seated any longer. "We went through so much because of him. And you just let him go!"

"You're acting like Stan." He frowned.

"Stan for once had the right idea." I planted my hands on my hips, ignoring the fact that the entire room had fallen silent yet again, only this time to watch the scene I was creating with their Sheriff.

"Taylor, please." He reached out towards me but I just stepped back.

"It's bad enough that you want to..." I paused, not sure I should let Godric's suicidal desire slip to the entire room. "It's bad enough what you let happen already, what you're going to let happen. But this too? He deserves to be punished. Doesn't anything that's happen matter to you?"

"Of course it does." Godric sighed. "But murder is never the answer."

"Then do something else! Don't just let him walk free!" I threw my hands up in the air. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

I saw the look of shock on the vampires' faces around me. No one spoke to the Sheriff like that. Godric was well respected among his peers; no one disrespected him in such a way. Well I wasn't a vampire. I was just the woman he loved, which apparently didn't mean much to him.

"This is unbelievable." I shook my head as I twisted around and made to storm away. Godric wasn't the one to stop me, and instead, was the broad chest of his progeny as I walked right into him. I muttered a string of curses under my breath before moving around Eric's form and stormed away. I quickly crossed into the adjoined room, searching Sookie out before finding her chatting with Bill before her brother swept in and the two escaped into the backyard. Taking the opportunity for a moment alone with the only other person that would understand my frustration, I hurried over to her. "Men are impossible."

Sookie turned and raised an eyebrow at me. When she saw the look on my face however, she seemed to immediately know what I was talking about. "You're upset that Godric just let Hugo walk away."

"How can you tell?" I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "He brought all of us so much pain. Poor Isabel is heartbroken and Godric just lets him walk away. It's not right."

Sookie patted my shoulder. "I know what you mean. It doesn't seem fair. But on the other hand, Godric would rather forgive and give him a chance to redeem himself than to take a life. That's a good thing, isn't it?"

"He could have just ripped his head off and I would have been fine with it." I mumbled, though I knew deep down inside Sookie was right. Any other vampire would have killed Hugo on the spot. But Godric was different. He wasn't a monster, he wasn't a savage. He was different, and that was why I loved him so much. "Damn it. I hate that you're right."

"Sorry." She apologized with a smile. "Try to look on the bright side, we're free now. Everything turned out well in the end."

I just wished that was true.

"Hello there."

Sookie and I turned to find a tall, paler than death vampire waltzing towards us, her heavily made up eyes piercing right through Sookie. I raised an eyebrow at the slinky red dress she wore and the terrible hairdo, trying to keep a straight face as I stifled a laugh.

"I'm Lorena." The vampire faked a smile.

Sookie and I shared a look before the blonde greeted the vampire. "Nice to meet you, I'm Sookie and this here is Taylor."

Lorena barely even sent a glance in my direction and I knew I was nothing but a mere bystander. Her attention was solely focused on Sookie.

"Hm, yes, you're what all the fuss is about." Lorena looked Sookie over, almost snickering at her appearance.

"Excuse me?" Sookie raised an eyebrow, still keeping that bright smile on her face though I could tell it was forced.

"Aren't you a morsel?" Lorena shook her head.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sookie stepped closer, and I knew right away that Sookie wasn't the type to just let an insult pass her by. She may be a southern sweetheart, but she wasn't some naive little girl who wouldn't stand up for herself.

"We have a mutual...friend." a smirk crossed her bright red lips.

"Bill?" Sookie assumed.

"That's right." Lorena nodded. "Funny that he never mentioned me before. I practically...made him what he is today."

"Lorena!" Bill came hurrying over and I began to realize that this Lorena woman was actually Bill's maker. Well that would explain a whole lot.

"Taylor." A low voice spoke in my ear and I looked up to find Eric hovering behind me. He grasped onto my arm and tugged me a few feet away, giving the three some space.

"I don't like her." I mused, keeping an eye on Lorena. I didn't like where this was going at all.

"She's an acquired taste." Eric glanced at the female vampire before shaking his head and gazing down at me. "Go back to Godric's side before you get yourself into trouble. Again."

"I'm fine here." I shook my head.

"Being angry with him isn't going to help anything." He pointed out, his expression hardening. "We're supposed to be persuading him, not pushing him away."

"Well I..." I never got the chance to finish as the rising voices cut me off. My head snapped towards the commotion and I was surprised to find Sookie grabbing Lorena's arm.

"Do not touch him." Sookie spat.

Lorena yanked her arm free. "My, you're feisty too."

"Shouldn't we stop this?" I whispered to Eric in concern.

He just shook his head silently as Lorena laughed. It was a crazy laugh. And you never wanted to hear a crazy laugh. That never ends well.

"You're no more than a blood bag. You cannot win this."

"I've already won. Bill chose me. And yet, you still won't give up. Don't you have any shame?" Sookie wasn't afraid of the vampire one bit, and I silently cheered her on.

"Sookie, stop!" Bill tried to shush Sookie.

"I'd listen to him. Run away, little girl." Lorena began drawing closer to Bill. "William and I love each other."

"You've gone mad!" Bill tried to force her away, moving himself between Lorena and Sookie. "Get out, now!"

"Maybe you do love him, who am I to guess." Sookie ignored Bill as he tried to hold her back. "But he doesn't love you. He never has, and that we both know."

The room grew silent as Lorena's fangs extended. I jumped and went to step forward but Eric held his arm out to stop me.

"This isn't your fight."

"She's my friend." I insisted.

"No." He just shook his head.

"Take those words back, or they shall be your last." Lorena threatened.

"We're leaving." Bill grabbed Sookie and tried to drag her away.

"Find someone else, you fucking bitch! You lost this one!" Sookie screamed.

Everything moved so fast, it was hard to even realize what was happening. Lorena shoved Bill aside before grasped Sookie around the neck and shoving her down onto the short divider separating the room into two. My eyes grew wide as Lorena moved in for the kill, and only then did Eric move. But it was Godric, who reached Sookie first, using his two thousand year old strength to halt Lorena by the neck. He tightened his grip as he slowly yanked her away from the gasping blonde.

"Retract. You're. Fangs. Now." Godric ordered.

Like a good little vampire, Lorena retracted her fangs, knowing that she shouldn't disobey the Sheriff and a vampire so much older and stronger than she was.

"I neither know, nor care who you are," Godric forced her against the back of one of the couches. "But in this area, and certainly in this nest, I am the authority. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sheriff." Lorena nodded as best as she could.

Godric gazed at her for the longest time before lowering his hand from her throat and sending a glance in Sookie's direction. "This human has proven herself to be courageous and a loyal friend to our kind. And yet you treat her like a child does a dragonfly; pulling off wings for sport." Godric shook his head in disappointment. "No wonder they hate us."

"She provoked me." Lorena defended.

"And you provoked me." Godric's voice lowered. "You disrupted the peace in my own home. I could snap you like a twig. And I haven't. Now why is that?"

"It's your choice." Lorena looked pained to say this.

"Indeed it is." Godric nodded. "You're an old vampire, I can tell. You've had hundreds of years to better yourself, but you haven't. You're still a savage. And I fear for all of us, humans and vampires, if this behaviour persists."

I was reminded of the vampire from my dreams, the vampire that radiated authority, but was never power hungry. I was reminded of why I loved him, why I had trusted him so quickly. He could snap Lorena like a twig. He could have killed Hugo even easier. But he chose not to. He chose to be the better person, to show mercy when the fellowship of the sun did not. Maybe I didn't entirely agree with Godric, maybe I just wanted revenge and it was clouding my judgement, but I think I understood his reasoning a little bit better. And I respected him for it. He wasn't like everyone else. He was just trying to make a difference in such a dark, destructive world. And I loved him for it.

"You," Godric turned towards Bill who stepped forward with a look of worry on his face. "You seem to know her?"

Bill hesitated but eventually nodded. "Yes Sheriff."

"Escort her from the nest." Godric turned his gaze back down to Lorena. "I wish you out of my area before dawn."

We all watched as Lorena nodded, frightened, as she let Bill escort her from the house. I let out a sigh of relief as I caught Sookie's eye and sent her a small smile. She nodded in assurance that she was fine as I moved towards Godric, feeling the sudden need to apologize. I may still not agree with his verdict concerning Hugo, but I did feel bad for going off on Godric like I had. He was only proving once again, that times had changed, that there was no longer a need for violence between vampires and humans.

"I'm sorry." I blurted out the moment I reached his side. "I shouldn't have exploded like I did. I was just..."

"I understand." He turned towards me and nodded. He raised his gaze to meet mine, his hand rising to cup my cheek. "You were upset. You have a fiery temper at times. And I love you for it. You're very passionate about your beliefs, and I'll never fault you for that."

"Even if those beliefs are to rip off a guy's head?" I couldn't help but chuckle.

"We're all allowed our moments." He offered a smile, drawing me into his arms.

I sighed in content as I stood there nestled in his arms, perfectly happy to never leave.

"Is this where I'm supposed to feel all warm and fuzzy inside?" Eric commented sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes as I peeked at the blonde from around Godric's form. "You might get into Sookie's bed quicker if you're a bit nicer."

"You don't know what you're talking about." He grumbled before swiftly striding away.

I snorted and looked up at the man I loved. "You should work on teaching your progeny how to be more like you."

"I don't think I have that much patience." He laughed lightly.

"There's not enough patience in the world." I smiled widely, enjoying this rare happy moment with him. I knew it wouldn't last.

And of course, it didn't.

"Excuse me everyone!" a voice called out over the chatter of the vampires and humans mingling.

I raised an eyebrow and shot Godric a glance. He frowned, and from the look on his face, I knew something wasn't right.

"Come." He slid his hand into mine as he drew me to where a familiar face was standing in the entryway of the living room. I knew that face. But from where?

"If I could have your attention." I stared into the face of the brunette, trying to place where I had seen him before. But my curiosity was soon quenched. "My name is Luke McDonald. I'm a member of the Fellowship of the sun."

"Oh fuck." My eyes grew wide.

"And I have a message for you all from Reverend Steve Newlin."

The last thing I could remember was the deafening sound of a bomb exploding, destroying everything around me.


	35. Chapter Thirty Four

**Chapter Thirty Four:**

I had only lost consciousness for only minutes before I came too, gasping for oxygen, only to cough back out the ash that entered my lungs. My eyes snapped open, realizing what had happened, and I was horrified to find the house was destroyed around me. But it wasn't just the roof caving in, the walls that were barely still standing. It was the blood that was splattered everywhere, even staining my own body. It was blood that I knew didn't belong entirely to me, but instead to the many vampires and humans that had been in the very room Luke McDonald had blown up.

It was a pained grunt that pulled my attention to the vampire hovering above me. My eyes grew wide as I gazed up into the face of Godric, his eyes closed, his features contorted in pain.

"Godric?" I rasped out, frowning as I tried to take everything in. we were both covered in blood and ash and god even knows what else. But it was the blood that belonged to a certain vampire that concerned me the most. I could feel it soaking into my shirt and as I looked down between us, I found both of our shirts soaked with the blood. I tried to tell if I was hurt at all. I searched for a single ounce of pain that the shock of the bombing may have hid. But besides a few aches here and there from some scrapes and bruises, I felt better than a bomb victim should have.

Which meant the blood belonged to Godric.

"Godric? Godric are you alright?" I grew panicked as I raised a shaking hand up to cup his cheek. "Godric, say something."

"Silver." He gasped out, his eyes squeezing together, his fangs extending in pain before he collapsed onto his side, rolling right off of me.

The blood drained from my face and I quickly sat up, though the moment I did, I instantly regretted it. The world spun around me and it took a moment to compose myself without throwing up before I was able to turn my attention onto the man I loved. I wasn't sure just how hurt he was. He wasn't dead; he wasn't a pile of vampire goo, so that was a plus. But I knew that there were other ways a vampire could die. He could be drained of his blood. The silver could poison him so severely that he could never be completely healed. And that, I refused to let happen.

I searched over his entire form before locating where the bleeding was originating from. I pushed his soaked shirt up and over his abdomen and was sickened to find multiple bullet wounds and I wasn't even sure what else covering his body. I peered closer, inspecting the wounds that were already beginning to slowly heal, finding that some of the bullets and pieces of silver had already left his body. But there was still some silver left in his body, forcing his wounds to stay open, to bleed Godric until there was nothing left. I choked on the vile that was rising in my throat but forced it down as I pressed my hand to the bleeding wounds, hoping it would do something. It didn't, but I wasn't a doctor, I didn't know what else to do. He was a vampire; he would heal this, right? But he was just losing so much blood. I could tell he took the bullets and flying pieces of silver through the back, only for them to surge right through him with the sheer force of the bomb explosion. But who knew how much silver was still left in his system.

"Oh god." I whispered, tears blurring my vision. "I don't know what to do, Godric."

I looked down at the face of the man I knew I could never live without and it frightened me to see just how dead he looked. I knew he was perfectly alive, but it wasn't a great illusion at a time like this.

"Maybe my blood would help." I suggested, grasping for straws now. "My blood will heal you faster and force out the silver, won't it?"

He only grunted in response, and I could only imagine how much pain he must be in. I knew how painful it was to be shot. But this would be even more agonizing for him.

"Do you have enough strength to bite me?" I questioned, already offering his my wrist.

His eyes slowly cracked open, and while his fangs were already extended, as I drew my wrist towards his lips, he could do nothing but just lay there.

"Damn it." I cursed as I searched around me for something sharp I could use. It wasn't hard to locate a shard of glass and without thinking too long about it, I sliced it right across my wrist. I whimpered at the sudden pain, but knew it was a small price to pay. I would rather feel physical pain any day than to watch him die, to watch him in any amount of pain. "Drink, Godric."

I pressed my bleeding wrist to his lips, the drops of blood meeting his awaiting tongue. I winced, my eyes squeezing shut as he gently sucked on my wrist, his tongue sweeping across the wound hungrily. I gritted my teeth, my body tensing as suddenly, his fangs locked onto my wrist, deepening the wound for a greater amount of blood. I could only sit there as Godric drank, forcing myself to not pull away. He had saved me countless of times with his blood. It was only fair that I did the same for him. I would do anything for him.

It took more of my blood than I originally thought to start healing Godric. As I began to feel a bit light headed, I opened my eyes to gaze down at Godric's abdomen and I was relieved to find the silver being pushed right out. The wounds slowly began to close, healing themselves until his body was once again smooth and perfect.

"Godric..." My eyes began to flutter, realizing that I was giving Godric just a little too much. "Godric that's enough."

I had to use my free hand to brace myself before I toppled onto my side, but thankfully Godric was pulled back into reality and released my wrist. I forced my eyes to stay open as his blue orbs raised to meet mine before staring down at the wrist that fell limply into my lap. He frowned as he raised himself into a sitting position before lifting my wrist into his gentle hands. I watched as he sliced his tongue before dipping his lips down to my wrist. I let out a soft moan as he kissed around the wound, eliciting a shudder throughout my body before he gently licked at the bleeding cut, closing it with his blood.

"Are you..." Godric questioned as he kissed my wrist once again.

"Fine. I'm fine." I assured him, digging my fingernails into the palm of my head to keep myself upright. The blood loss was still greater than I was used to however, worse than when he had ever taken my blood before in the past. I felt the tugging at my consciousness, the need to curl up and sleep. But I fought against it, wanting to make sure everyone was alright before I succumbed to that desire.

"You're not." his frown deepened, drawing closer to me. "I took too much. You should have stopped me sooner. I lost control."

"No." I shook my head. "You were really hurt, Godric. You needed the blood."

"But..."

"No buts, Godric." I attempted to smile at the vampire, only to fail miserably. I swayed from side to side before Godric caught me before I could hit the ground. He sighed as he scooped me up into his arms and stood, now perfectly healthy. My head lolled onto his shoulder and I gladly left it there.

"I took too much." He spoke more too himself than to me. "I lost control."

"Godric..."

"You big lying A-hole!" Sookie's voice caught my attention, and though it took all of my strength, I lifted my head and glanced over to where Sookie was kneeling beside what appeared to be a bleeding, but lounging Eric.

"Bill, you're right, I believe I can sense her emotions." Eric mused smugly.

"I'll never do anything for you again!" Sookie hurried into Bill's awaiting arms, looking disgusted at the blonde vampire. I wasn't sure what he did, but knowing Eric, there was a world of possibilities. "Monster!"

Eric stood with ease, his smirk widening as he brushed himself off. Though there wasn't much point. We were all covered with blood and ash that it would take a good couple dozen showers to get ourselves clean.

"It's not your fault." Bill tried to assure Sookie.

"I think I'm going to cry." Eric snickered.

I rolled my eyes and let my head fall back onto Godric's shoulder as his arms tightened around me.

"Who's dead?" Godric questioned as Isabel moved through the wreckage to our side.

"Stan, Paulo, Catherine. Two human companions." Isabel reported, and I almost felt sad about Stan's death. Almost that is. Almost. "Sheriff is she..."

"I'm fine." I assured Isabel, trying to offer the Hispanic woman a smile. "Godric was the one hurt."

"Sheriff?" Isabel's eyes grew wide in concern.

"I'm fine." Godric nodded before taking a look around. "We cannot stay here. It's too dangerous."

"I'll contact Hotel Carmilla." Isabel agreed. "We'll go there for the time being. Godric?"

"Yes, Isabel?"

"I'm sorry for this." She bowed her head remorsefully. "It was my human, Hugo, that had..."

"It's not your fault, Isabel." I was the one to comfort her. "Hugo did this all on his own. And Steve Newlin, he's just psychotic. This wasn't your fault."

She just nodded, though I could tell she didn't entirely believe me. Instead, she turned towards the room, focusing on other matters to distract her broken heart.

"Everyone, please!" Isabel called out, trying to grab the attention of the injured survivors.

It was Jason Stackhouse, however, that was able to quiet the room. "Hey! Listen up!"

"They may come back." Godric spoke, a sadness in his tone. "Go to Hotel Carmilla. They'll be alerted. Security will be put into place."

I watched as those around us began slowly leaving the house through what used to be the front door. Godric still held me in his arms, and for that I was thankful as I wasn't sure I would have been able to stand on my own two feet at the moment. There was such sadness on Godric's face however, that I knew wouldn't help our case to persuade him against meeting the sun. Having his home destroyed by the fellowship, by the humans he tried so hard to live alongside as equals, it was only making things worse, only driving Godric deeper into this depression that I wished I could fix.

"Godric." Eric waltzed up to his maker's side, his gaze falling on my form. "Are you two alright?"

"We're fine." Godric nodded, glancing up at his progeny. "And you?"

"Oh I'm just fine." There was a flicker of arrogance in those blue orbs of his.

"What did you do to poor Sookie?" I wondered, my eyelids growing heavier.

"Nothing you need to worry about." Eric flashed me a smirk before turning his attention onto Godric. "You should take her to the hotel. I have a room you two are more than welcome to rest in."

I was shocked by Eric's hospitality. But then again, this was his maker, and with Godric came me. And we were temporarily working together. I was sure the moment this was all over, Eric would go back to hating my guts. And I think I would be alright with that. Because that would mean Godric was still alive. I would take Godric being alive over Eric actually being nice to me any day.

* * *

"_Godric!" I shouted out, looking every which way for the vampire. I searched and searched through the darkness, but there was no sign of him, or anyone for that matter. I could barely even see my own hand as I held it out before me. I tried to tell where I was, what was surrounding me, but I couldn't see a damn thing. "Godric are you there?"_

_I fell silent, listening closely, hoping to hear something that would tell me where I was, where my vampire was. But silence only met my ears. _

"_Hello?" I called out, taking a tentative step forward, hoping I could find a way to escape this black hole I had found myself in. _

_I was thankful that my feet were able to move, and I began forward slowly at first, before taking off at a jogging pace. I wanted out of the dark. I had never been afraid of the dark before. I was from the country. I hadn't lived with the city lights surrounding me as I slept. I was used to the silence; I was used to only stars lighting up my night sky. But this was pitch black darkness. There was no stars, no moon, not a single light around me. It was unnerving, chilling me to the bone. I shuddered as I quickened my pace, hurrying through the darkness. Only there was no escape. I kept running and running until I felt my legs grow weak, my sides aching and was forced to come to a stop. I bent over, gasping for breath._

_Where was I?_

_What was this place?_

_And then just like that, a bright light caught my eye, nearly blinding me. I yelped as I raised my arm to block my eyes, squinting as I straightened and began walking towards the strange light. The closer I got, the more blinding and warm it became. I could faintly notice a figure standing there, in the middle of the light, and I got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. I started running again, hurrying towards the figure, wondering who it could be. But a part of me knew who it was, what was happening._

"_Godric!" I screamed out, trying to call the vampire back from what could only be the burning sun in this dark pit of hell._

_But Godric couldn't hear me, or maybe he was just ignoring me as he just stood there as his body burst into flames. They weren't the calm blue flames that I had witnessed in my vision however, but instead, the colour of what I could only describe as blood. _

"_Godric no!" I wailed, throwing myself forward into the light, only for Godric to suddenly disappear, his form no longer in sight as I stumbled forward, completely alone. "Godric!"_

I awoke with a start, my eyes flashing wide open, my form snapping up into a sitting position. The only indication that I wasn't still trapped in that horrific dark pit of hell were the voices that came wafting from another room. I had to squint in the darkness, squint until a small line of light came from the bottom of a door across from me. It wasn't enough to reach the entire room, but it was enough to calm my frazzled, pounding heart. I sighed in relief as I rested against the pillows, my gaze falling on the bed sheets tucked around me. That dream had felt so real. It had felt so heart wrenching. But in a way, it was real. Because Godric was going to meet the sun. This seemed to be a way for my mind to prepare myself for the inevitable.

And I hated it.

"Damn it." I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair as I pulled the sheets tighter around me, feeling cold and empty at the mere thought of losing Godric, of watching him being enveloped by flames and burning right before my eyes. It was a nightmare that I never wanted to become reality, but even I knew I wasn't going to get that wish.

"_You should come back to Shreveport with me."_ Eric voice met my ears from the other side of the closed door. _"You've never seen my bar and you haven't seen Pam in many years."_

"_I don't know, my child." _ Godric sighed.

I frowned as I stared at the door. Eric was doing everything in his power to persuade his maker not to meet the sun. He was doing everything he could to keep Godric at his side. I couldn't even imagine what this might do to him. He was already an unstable vampire when it came to his temper. God only knows what this would lead him to do.

"_Sophie-Anne would be thrilled to have you in Louisiana. As would I."_ Eric continued to insist. _"Shreveport is not...boring, not in the least."_

"_I'll consider it, my son."_

"_You can even bring her, if you'd like. I know you wouldn't just leave her behind. You...You love her."_ Eric almost sounded disgusted as he spoke those words. He may have agreed to work with me to do this for Godric, but he still didn't understand how Godric could possibly love a human. Maybe Eric had to look at himself for those answers. Because there was something growing between him and Sookie. She may be appalled by him, and even more now that he had supposedly forced a blood bond between them, but there was definitely something more than hate there. He was intrigued by her, yes. She was a telepath after all; Eric seemed thrilled to find unique humans to use to gain in power. But there was more to it, more than I think even Eric realized.

"_I'd like to stop talking about this, Eric."_

"_I'm only just giving you options now that your home has been destroyed. You can stay with me. We've spent too many years apart. Maybe that was my own fault, but I...I've missed you, master."_ There was a vulnerability to Eric's tone that I was certain if he knew I was listening in on this conversation, he would hate me even more. I knew enough about him to know that he didn't like to show emotion of any kind. But this was his maker; this was the vampire that gave him a second life. If there was anyone in the world Eric could let his walls crumble down in front of, it was Godric. I was realizing now that Eric would do anything it took to keep Godric with us.

"_And I've missed you, my son. We'll speak of this when the time comes. We have a meeting shortly with Ms. Flanagan to prepare for."_

A sigh sounded from the other side of the door and I could tell Eric was growing frustrated. No matter what he said, what he offered to persuade Godric with, his maker was only shooting him down, shoving his ideas and thoughts to the side. And we both knew that wasn't a good thing. Because there wasn't going to be another time to talk about this, will there? There wasn't going to be another opportunity to offer Godric the world, to make him see reason. Whatever was going through his head at the moment to make him want to make a decision this big, it was overtaking the vampire, shoving out reason and logic. And it didn't seem like Eric or I could penetrate it.

"_You should check on Taylor."_

"_She'll be fine. I'm surprised you care so much about her well being."_

"_She is yours, isn't she? I might as well get used to her being around."_

"_Yes...yes I suppose so."_

My face fell at Godric's comment. There was not a single ounce of conviction in his voice. There was no emotion, no feeling at all. It was almost as if he didn't care if Eric and I got along, almost like he knew it wouldn't matter in the end. Even though he had been the one to hope we would grieve together, I think even Godric realized now that instead of growing closer over his death, Eric's hatred for me would only be more fuelled.

"_Why didn't you fight, Godric?"_ Eric questioned after a long moment of silence.

"_What do you mean?"_

"_At the church. Why didn't you fight when they took you? You could have had you and Taylor out of there in minutes. And yet you were trapped in there for a week."_

That was a good question, one I wanted to hear the answer to. I shuffled on the bed, pushing back the bed sheets so I could crawl to the bottom of the bed, growing closer to the closed door. I must have been loud enough that the vampires had heard me though, as all conversation immediately ceased. Seconds later, the door was thrown open, light flooding the room and nearly blinding me. I was momentarily reminded of that terrifying dream, and my heart leapt right up into my throat.

"You're awake." Godric stood in the doorway, and as I regained my vision and peered closely, there appeared to be a blank expression spread across his face.

My frown deepened as I nodded. "I had a nightmare. What time is it?"

"The sun set a few hours ago." He informed, not making any mobe to come into the bedroom.

"I was asleep all day?"

"You were." He nodded.

My heart sunk at his odd behaviour. What was wrong with him? Godric had never acted this cold before, or at least not while we had been together. He was acting like I was nothing but some human girl he barely knew, who had taken in out of pity instead of love. And that wasn't like Godric at all.

"Godric? Is everything okay?" I went to get off the bed, only for Godric to raise a hand to stop me.

"I'm fine, Taylor." He assured in an unconvincing tone.

"You don't sound okay." I pointed out with a shake of my head. "Come here."

"I have a meeting to prepare for."

"You can spare two seconds to come kiss me." I insisted.

"Taylor." Godric sighed, as if he was dealing with a small, agitating child. "I don't have time for this."

"A kiss, Godric. I'm asking for a kiss. After everything we've gone through in the past week, I don't think a single kiss is a lot to ask for." I pursed my lips together, trying desperately not to cry.

I knew what he was doing. I knew why he was acting so unlike himself. He was pushing me away. He was doing the same thing with Eric. He was pushing us as far away as he possibly could. Maybe it would make him feel better when he decided to meet the sun, to know that he had no one close to him. Or maybe he thought it would be easier for us to just hate him now than to weep over his impending death. Either way, I felt a strong sense of dislike towards Godric for doing this, for ripping everything apart. Not even 24 hours ago, Godric had been holding me in his arms as he fed me his blood, trying to replenish what he had taken in order to heal the wounds from the bomb. He had stroked my hair, drew invisible designs up and down my back. He had whispered in my ear in another language as I drifted off to sleep, muttering that he loved me, that he always would. I remember the single kiss on my lips, his soft lips pressing against mine for only mere seconds before I fell into a deep slumber. I realize now, what that was. I realize now, that it was Godric allowing himself one last moment with me, one last moment together to say a goodbye of sorts, before he turned into this cold, detached vampire he was now before me.

"Godric." Eric came into view behind his maker. His gaze fell on mine for a brief moment, and he let down his walls to let me see the sorrow in those blue orbs. He quickly masked the emotion, however, as Godric turned to gaze up at him over his shoulder. "I'll be in the lobby having a...drink. I'll return at the time of the meeting."

"We need to discuss..."

"You did nothing wrong, Godric. None of us did. Flanagan is a cold hearted bitch who thinks she has the authority over all of us when we both know we could snap her like a twig in seconds." A look of anger flashed over his face before his shook his head and it disappeared. "Spend some time with your teacup human, Godric."

Eric looked back at me at that moment, and the look he gave me said it all. He was telling me something. He was letting me know something very important. And it broke my heart. Spend some time together now, Eric was really telling me, before it's too late. He knew it wasn't going to be long, that we didn't have much time left with Godric. He knew our time was growing short, that it was becoming hopeless to make him see reason. And that just killed me inside. My heart felt like it was being ripped into two, like someone had reached inside of me and was grasping my lungs, squeezing them so tightly that I couldn't breathe. I wanted to cry out; I wanted to let the tears escape. I wanted to curl up into a ball and just break down, realizing now that I may not be able to help Godric after all, that I wouldn't be able to fix him like I had hoped.

Eric left then. He turned and walked from the hotel room, the door slamming shut behind him. Godric and I were alone, and for the first time, I almost wished that we weren't. I didn't want to witness this downward spiral Godric was trapped in. I didn't want to watch as Godric transformed into this version of himself that he was not, all just to make his death easier. But didn't he realize that this little act wasn't going to change the fact that I loved him? Didn't he realize that he couldn't push me away, that I would love him no matter what? Didn't he realize that it didn't matter how or why he died, that I would always miss him, that I would never be able to go on without him at my side?

"You should visit with Miss Stackhouse." Godric suggested, already turning and walking back into the lit room.

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to force back the tears before climbing off the bed. I shuffled across the bedroom and through the doorway, finding the sitting room just as I had remembered it last night when Godric had quickly swept me into the hotel room. I let myself wonder, briefly, where Eric had slept, before letting the question slip away. It didn't matter. What did matter was this vampire before me who seemed to want to ignore me rather than spend what little time we had together with one another. I opened my mouth to speak, but I just couldn't find the words. What did you say to someone to stop them from killing themselves? What did you say to the one that you loved to keep them with you, to make them see things clearly? All I could think of was some teary goodbye, and that was the last thing I wanted with Godric. I never wanted a teary goodbye. I never wanted any sort of goodbye.

Love wasn't supposed to end this way. When I had fallen in love with Godric, I had never thought this would one day happen. I knew we weren't meant to be together for always. I was human after all, and he was an immortal vampire. Eventually I was going to get older and die, and he would still be here, looking like the young teenager that he was. But I had hoped for longer than a few months. I had hoped for years with Godric, for years of complete bliss and happiness. But my time with the vampire was being cut short, and this time it wasn't the fellowship's doing. Godric had felt like this long before the fellowship had even risen to power. He had been lonely and depressed long before we had ever met, I was realizing that now. And maybe I had been able to fix things for a little while. Maybe I was able to put a smile on his face, force a laugh from his lips. Maybe for a while there, Godric was happy, and that was all thanks to me. But sometimes, depression is so strong that not even love and happiness can fix it. Sometimes you can just feel so empty and alone, that not even being surrounded by those that love you will solve anything. And that pained me to know there was nothing I could do. That I was just going to have to accept this fate.

Only I didn't want to. I wanted to leap into his arms, to never let him go. How was I supposed to go on without him? How was I supposed to live in this world after I watched him die? I couldn't. It would just be too painful. I didn't want to be one of those tragic girls who died from a broken heart, but I knew it was a possibility. Because Godric was my one true love. He was my soul mate. And he was leaving me. How could I possibly go on? How could I possibly live without him?

"You're going to leave me, aren't you?" I choked on the words as I wrapped my arms around myself. I had to lean against the doorway, my legs already growing weak that I knew I wouldn't be able to stand on my own for too much longer. "You really are going to leave me."

Godric sighed as he sat on the couch, leaning forward and putting his head in his hands. "Taylor, please don't do this."

"There's nothing I can say or do to change this, is there?" a tear slipped down my cheek before dozens began following. "I can't make you happy enough, can I? You're still sad, even though I love you."

"You make me happier than I've ever been, Taylor." He admitted softly.

"So then why? Why are you..."

"Because sometimes, love and happiness isn't enough." His voice was strained. "Two thousand years, Taylor. I've been alive for two thousand years with thousands of years ahead of me. I'm immortal. I'll never age. I'll never die a natural death. I'll never be able to feel the rays of sun on my skin. I'm cursed, Taylor, don't you realize? You are such a blessed being. You have this fragile life that envy. I would give anything to be human again. I would give anything to feel whole again."

My eyes squeezed shut as I my body began to shake, the sobs threatening to escape.

"I love you. I love you more than I ever thought was possible for a mere monster. You've given me the greatest gift that I'll forever cherish. The heavens brought me to you, even when all hope was lost." Godric looked up, and I could see the streaks of bloody tears staining his perfectly pale cheeks. "I was going to die that night. I was set to let those humans murder me."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What night? In the church?"

"No." Godric shook his head. "Long before the church."

"I'm not sure what you're..." and then realization struck me. My eyes grew as wide as saucers as I cupped my gaping mouth in surprise. "The night we first met. The reason I had come to Dallas. You wanted to die? You wanted those men to kill you?"

"I knew what they had planned. I knew where my fate lied the moment I stepped into that coffee shop all those months ago." He hung his head in shame. "I was lonely, Taylor. I felt empty inside. I was lost, I didn't know where to go from there, what to do. I was tired of my existence, of being what I was. I just wanted it all to end."

"W-why did you leave then? Why did you listen to me?" I questioned, my vision growing blurry with tears. To know that Godric had been even closer to death than I ever realized that night, it tore me to pieces inside. I really had saved his life, hadn't I? But how much time had I bought? A few months at the most? He still wanted to die. He still wanted that fate. I was just able to push it back for a little while.

"You cared about my safety. You knew what I was, and yet you tried desperately to persuade me to leave, to escape before I could meet the exact fate I wanted. Much like in the church. You had tried so hard to free me, and yet, I wanted to burn. I wanted to give my life for yours, to know that my last act was one of good."

"So you humoured me? You strung me along all this time?" I accused, my voice cracking as my emotions began to overtake me.

"No. No that's not true." Godric stood, shaking his head as he drew closer. "You intrigued me that night we first met. You intrigued me every night after that that I just couldn't keep away. I knew what my true desire was in my heart, but I selfishly wanted to know you, to know the mysterious girl who had saved my life. And I don't regret it. Because you are the most remarkable human I've ever met. You've brought me so much happiness that I will forever be grateful."

"But that's just not enough, is it?" I was shaking uncontrollably now. "Love, it just isn't enough. You're still sad. You still want to..."

"Love was enough. It still is." He admitted honestly, only confusing me further. "But last night only made it clearer than it ever had been."

"What do you mean?"

"I've only brought you pain, Taylor. I've only brought you terrorizing nightmares and not the sweet dreams that you deserve." He sighed and looked away, the bloody tears still slipping silently down his cheeks. "I don't deserve someone as beautifully kind as you."

"What are you saying?" I had to grasp onto the doorway to keep myself upright.

"I've been selfish. I've kept you when I knew I shouldn't have. I've only brought you pain since we've met. You've nearly met death more than I can possibly count because of me. And I'll never forgive myself for that."

"That's not true." I shook my head. "You can't blame yourself, Godric."

"But I do. I do blame myself. And now I must make it right." Godric turned away from me completely. "I will make amends for all that I've done."

"Don't say that." My heart was breaking. My entire world was shattering around me. "Please, Godric. I love you. You haven't brought me pain, but instead happiness. Why can't you see that?"

"I hope you can forgive me for this one day." He began towards the door."

"Godric." I tried to step forward, only my legs wouldn't allow it. "Godric please. Will you just listen to me? I love you. Please don't do this. Please will you just..."

"I love you, but I realize now that I never deserved you. I never was supposed to have you. I was only being selfish." He reached the door, grasping onto the door handle. "I won't cause you anymore pain, Taylor. When dawn approaches, I won't be able to hurt you any longer."

"No." My eyes grew wide. "No!"

"I'm sorry. I'll forever be sorry." He whispered before a gust of wind blew my hair back and Godric was suddenly gone.

I had to search for a hidden strength inside of myself before rushing towards the door. I went to rip it open, to run after Godric and try to make him see reason. Only the door wouldn't budge. I pulled, I pushed, I even kicked at the door a few times. But it wouldn't open.

It was locked.

* * *

**A/N:** So the next chapter will be the finale of this fic. remember, keep an eye out for the sequel. thank you all again for reading this story. you've made writing it enjoyable. oh, and for any of you that have read my Eric/Ellie fic, you might be happy to know that there is a 6th fic in the works.


	36. Chapter Thirty Five

**Chapter Thirty Five:**

Eric couldn't keep his eyes off of his maker. He could look nowhere else but at the vampire that had given him life, who had saved his dying form over a thousand years ago. He appeared to be only a boy, but he was much wiser, much powerful than any other being Eric had ever come across. Godric was more than that savage beast that had first turned him, however. He had changed in the time they had been apart. He had transformed into a vampire Eric nearly couldn't recognize. Godric held compassion for humankind. He wished for equality, not for war. Eric couldn't comprehend why Godric had changed so drastically, what had happened to change his maker's hateful view on the world. But now, he would rather that compassionate vampire than the one that sat across from him now. He would rather accept Godric's human, the girl that he had fallen in love with, if it meant more time with his maker.

"What a fucking fiasco." Nan Flanagan spat, shaking her head in disgust. "You're lucky I don't send you all to the magister. Godric, come to my suit and fill out the forms."

"Soon." Godric spoke, his gaze rising from the floor. "First, I have something to say."

Eric's hands clasped one another to the point that he could feel his skin breaking. But he didn't care. His own pain no longer mattered. All that mattered was this vampire before him.

"I'm sorry." Godric looked around the room remorsefully. "I apologize for all the harm I've caused, for our lost ones, human and vampire." his gaze fell on Eric at last. "I will make amends. I swear it."

"Take it easy. It's just a few signatures" Nan patted him on the shoulder before standing, her and her flunkies leaving the suite in haste.

Eric quickly rose to his feet, refusing to accept this as the end. Depression would not be what drove his maker to meet the true death. Depression would not be what defeated the great Godric, the vampire he had idolized for a thousand years. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't lose him. He had fought the past 24 hours to persuade Godric to seek out a different fate, to proceed down a different path. He offered him the world, all that he could. And still, all hope was lost. Still, Godric wished to end his life, to meet the sun and leave those that loved him behind.

"No." Eric towered over Godric.

"Look in my heart." Godric sighed, gazing up at his progeny.

"You have to listen to me." Eric didn't care about the others still in the room, that he was appearing weak in front of his greatest enemy. All he cared about was the vampire before him, the vampire he never wanted to watch perish forever.

"There's nothing to say." Godric shook his head sadly.

"There is."

"On the roof." Godric lowered his gaze, moving around Eric and towards the door.

"What about Taylor." Eric twisted around. "What about her?"

"I've already said my goodbyes." Godric stopped before the door. "I've already released her from my heart. On the roof, Eric."

Eric could do nothing but watch his maker leave, knowing that there was no longer anything he could do to stop him.

* * *

Time was moving slowly. It felt like days had passed, but I knew it hadn't been all that long. I had forced myself to dress, waiting for the moment Godric would walk back in here. But a part of me realized that that was never going to happen, that Godric was never going to step back into this room. Because he was going to die. He was going to step into the sun and meet the sun at dawn. And dawn was approaching quicker than I would have liked.

I tried the door again for the hundredth time. But it was still locked. I knew why Godric had done it. He knew I would run after him. He knew I wouldn't let him go without a fight. So he was ensuring that I couldn't do that. He was ensuring that he could burn in peace, without interruption. And I hated him for that. I hated that he was taking my goodbye away from me. Because he may have said his last parting words, but I hadn't even come close. I would never forgive him for that. I would never forgive him for any of this.

"Taylor?"

My head snapped up, the backs of my hands rubbing away the tears as they fell as I recognized the voice on the other side of the door.

"Isabel?" I called out, jiggling the door handle again. "Is that you?"

"Oh Taylor." A small sob escaped her lips. "It's Godric."

My heart ached. "He's going to do it, isn't he? He's going to meet the sun."

"He's gone to the roof. Eric has followed him."

"Can you get me out of here? Godric, he locked me in here. Please Isabel, I need...I need to stop him. Or at least say goodbye. Please." I pleaded, already feeling the flood of emotions rising through me.

I didn't have to say another word as within seconds, the door was torn off its hinges, opening to reveal the blood stained face of Isabel.

"Go." She ushered me out. "Go now, before it's too late. Don't lose him like I lost Hugo. Go to him."

I nodded and rushed down the hallway, searching for the stairs leading to the roof. I had never run so fast before in my life. My lungs were screaming in protest, my legs were aching. But I never stopped as I turned a corner and crashed right through the door to the stairs. I took them two at a time, the dark sky already lightening above me. My stomach churned as I reached the top, as I stepped out onto the roof that looked sickeningly familiar. This was the roof from my vision. This was the roof that my horrors would play out on.

"Taylor?" Sookie shot me a glance from where she stood only a few feet away. She held out a hand to me, tugging me to her side as she nodded at the two vampires in the middle of the roof. I wanted to rush forward, but Sookie stopped me. It pained me to keep my distance, but she was right. If this was the end, if this truly was Godric's end, he and Eric needed a moment to themselves, to say goodbye to the thousand years they had together.

"Two thousand years is enough."

"I can't accept this." Eric's voice was strained. "It's insanity!"

"Our existence is insanity." Godric replied sadly, turning to face Eric. "We don't belong here."

"But we are here!" Eric roared and it broke my heart to hear the pain in the usually strong, emotionless vampire.

"It's not right." Godric shook his head. "We're not right."

"You taught me there is no right or wrong." Eric insisted. "Only survival...or death."

"I told a lie, as it turns out."

"I will keep you alive by force." Eric threatened, gritting his teeth together as he stepped forward, trying to intimidate Godric in a way that we all knew wouldn't work.

"Even if you could, why would you be so cruel?"

Eric spoke then in what I thought to be Swedish. I couldn't understand what was being said, but I knew pleading when I saw it. The sight of Eric breaking into tears, his form falling to his knees, it felt like a stake was being driven right into my heart, like I was being struck by those wooden bullets for a second time. I tried so hard to control my tears, my sobs. But it was impossible. Eric was pleading for Godric not to do this. He was begging for Godric not to leave him. This was a side to the blonde I had never seen before, and truthfully, I never wanted to see again. It was too heart wrenching. It was nearly too much to take. I had always known Eric loved Godric, but I never thought it was possible to love someone to this degree. Well then again, maybe I did.

"Let me go." Godric pleaded softly.

Eric raised his head, staring straight ahead. "I won't let you die alone."

"Yes you will." Godric nodded, running a hand through Eric's blonde, slicked back hair before resting his hand at the back of his neck. Eric gaze rose until blue eyes met blue eyes, and I knew what Godric was going to do before he even said the words. "As your maker, I command you."

Eric couldn't do a single thing other than to rise to his feet. I saw the struggle in his body, his wish to just defy Godric's order. But I knew it was impossible for him to, not after Godric had commanded it. Sookie and I stood there watching as Eric bowed his head and turned towards us, slowly making his way towards the stairs. Sookie reached a hand out to take his, squeezing it in comfort. But no amount of comfort would help Eric right now, that much I knew.

"Fix this." Eric pleaded with me, showing no shame in the tears that slid down his cheeks as he stared down at me. "Please."

"I'll try." Was all I could offer him.

"I'll stay." Sookie squeezed his hand one last time before letting go. "Just in case."

Eric only nodded, not speaking another word before beginning down the stairs. He paused however, before reaching the bottom, glancing through the railings at Godric one last time. After a moment, he sighed and pushed through the door, leaving his maker behind once and for all. But no, that wouldn't be true. I refused to allow it. I had to do something, anything to keep Godric here. So I turned back around, my eyes landing on the vampire.

Godric was turned towards the slowly rising sun, a small content smile spreading across his lips as his eyes closed. He took a step forward towards the edge, and I knew that if I didn't try and stop him now, I would never be able to. I dashed forward, Sookie not even trying to stop me as I threw myself at the vampire, blocking his body from the rising sun. Godric halted, his arms drawn down to his sides as I clutched onto his white button up shirt. I refused to let him go, I refused to let him do this. I wouldn't be able to last in this world without him. I didn't even need his at my side. I could be hundreds of miles away from this vampire, and as long as I knew he still roamed around this very earth, I would be happy. Because the heartbreak of knowing that he was gone, that I could never pick up the phone to talk to him, or to find comfort in his arms, that was the worst pain of all. And I knew I wouldn't be able to handle it. I knew it would be what broke me, what sent me over the edge. Maybe right over the edge of this building. Perhaps that was a bit dramatic of a thought. Maybe thinking suicidal thoughts myself wouldn't help anything. Life wasn't some tragic Romeo and Juliet tale. But this was exactly what they must have felt like. When you love someone, you just couldn't live without them. Apart, maybe, but not without. Never without.

"You must let me go, my seer. You need to let me go." Godric sighed, his arms rising up before his hands landed on my shoulders, squeezing them gently. "Let me do this."

"No." I shook my head, staring up at him through my blurry vision. "I won't let you do this."

"Please, my love. Please just let me find peace." There was a pained expression on his face.

"You can find peace here. With me." I insisted.

Godric looked away while his hands tried to push me from his form. But I refused to let go. I refused to let him pry my hands from his shirt. I couldn't lose him like this. I couldn't just let him meet the sun.

"I want this, Taylor. I want to burn. I want free of this existence, from this pain." He was pleading softly now. "I've hurt too many people. I've hurt you. Let me make amends. Let me make a difference."

"You can't make a difference after your dead, Godric. People don't make differences by dying. Those aren't heroes, those are just cowards." There was no end in sight to my tears as I dug my head into his chest. "Please Godric, please don't do this. I need you. We all need you. You can make a difference here. Not by dying."

"Do you know how much it pains me to know I'm the reason you've nearly died? Do you know how much it destroys me to know that I'm the reason for the pain you've felt? I refuse to hurt you again. I refuse to bring any harm to the only woman I've ever loved. Let me go, Taylor, just let me go." His hands clasped mine now, and without even trying, he was able to jerk them from his shirt, pulling them down to my sides. "Please, my sweet, beautiful seer, just let me go."

"No." I shook my head wildly. "No. I won't let you do this. I won't."

"And what will you do to stop me?" he smiled sadly, smoke beginning to slowly rise from his shoulders now.

"I'll...I'll..." I knew I couldn't stop him with sheer force. He was a two thousand year old vampire. He could move me from the spot with a flick of the wrist. But there was something I could do, that he would have no power over, something I could do that he would never be able to stop. "I'll throw myself from this building if you kill yourself."

Shock crossed his face, his eyes growing wide. "Taylor, you wouldn't."

"Maybe not, the thought of falling and hitting the ground petrifies me." I wrapped my arms around myself. "But I can beg a vampire to drain me. I can search out the closest sharpest object and take my own life. Hell, maybe I'll even throw myself in front of a bus. I don't know. But I'll figure out a way, I'll think of something."

"You'd take your own sweet life over me?" his eyebrows furrowed, a frown spreading across his lips. "I'm not someone you should be killing yourself over, my love."

"You don't even realize how much I love you, do you?" I squeezed my eyes shut, not wanting to watch as the smoke grew more and more, parts of Godric's exposed skin already sizzling as the sun rose higher on the horizon. "I would do anything for you. I would take my own life if it meant seeing you again. I would do anything in the world to keep you alive, Godric. And if not, well I'll do everything in my power to join you in the afterlife."

"I won't allow it." Godric shook his head.

"You won't be able to stop me." I replied defiantly. "You can't glamour me, Godric. You can't help what happens once you're gone. So maybe you shouldn't leave so that won't have to happen."

Godric sighed, his eyes closing as his head bowed. "I don't want your life to be taken over such a monster. That's all I am, Taylor. I'm nothing more than a selfish monster that has caused you pain. I'm not worth your life."

"Yes you are!" I wanted to shake him over and over again until he saw the truth. "You are worth everything to me, to everyone else! Why can't you see that! You made me realize that I wasn't the freak that I and everyone else saw me as. Why won't you just see how good you are!"

"Because I'm not." his eyes snapped open, sorrow in those orbs. "I'm not good for you, Taylor. I'm not meant for this word. I'm tired. I just want peace. I don't want the fighting."

"Then go off and find a nice hut in the woods. Don't kill yourself!" I did reach out to him this time, but I instead cupped his cheeks. "Please Godric. I beg of you. I will do anything. I would rather be apart from you than to know that you were gone from this world forever. I would rather be the one to die than to watch this."

"It's why I locked you in the room." Godric admitted.

"I know, and I'll never forgive you for that." I told him sternly before glancing at the rising sun from over my shoulders. I would barely have a full minute before the rays of sunshine would envelope Godric in flames, much like in my vision. "Godric please. If you don't want me, then fine, I'll go. But please don't do this. Please don't kill yourself. Think about all the good you can still do. Think about Eric, who obviously still needs his maker. We all need you Godric. We all want you. Just please, stay for a little bit longer. There's still so much to live for."

"I...I can't, Taylor. I'm sorry." Godric looked away, a single red bloody tear slipping down his cheek. "Let me go, my love. Release me from your heart."

"Fine." I twisted around, not believing what I was about to do.

"Taylor..." Godric reached out to me but his hand was only met with air as I stormed to the edge.

I looked out onto the horizon, to where the sun was rising, and I prayed silently. I prayed that my parents would forgive me, that they knew despite my sudden rebellious nature that I still loved them completely. I prayed that the death would be quick, that it wouldn't be painful. I prayed that I would be meeting Godric once again on the other side, whatever that may be.

"Don't do this. Don't, my sweet, please don't." Godric was at my back now, trying to hold me back as I took the last step towards the very edge.

"You're going to take your own life, why can't I take mine?" I struggled against the vampire. I just wanted this over and done with. If this was how our love was going to end, if we were going to become the modern day Romeo and Juliet, then fine, so be it. But I wanted it over and done with sooner rather than later. Before I lost the courage. "Let me go, Godric. Just let me go. We'll see each other again soon. So just let me go. I don't want to burn to death, and I will if you hold onto me. So just let me do this. Let me die. Then we'll be together."

"This is madness."

"This is what you want."

I felt the first flicker of a flame and I yelped as it wrapped around Godric's wrist, burning right through my clothes and catching onto my waist as he kept his arm around me.

"Please, Godric. I don't want to die this way. I don't want to die at all." I squeezed my eyes shut, more flames beginning to envelop Godric's arms, and in turn, burning me right alongside of him. "Please. Please Godric. I don't want you to die. I don't want any of this. Please you can still end this now."

"Promise me one thing." Godric's voice was strained as he whispered in my ear from behind. "One thing and I will end this now."

"Anything."

"You will go. You will run home and never turn back. We will part and never see one another again. I'll never be able to hurt you, I'll never be able to bring you pain. Promise me this and we'll go inside; this will all end now and we can heal."

I gritted my teeth together as the pain became unimaginable. More of Godric's body was being enveloped by flames, and with the vampire holding onto me so tightly, I too was burning.

"Promise me."

Could I promise that? Could I promise to go home, to go back to Ohio and never seek Godric out again? Could I just leave Godric and go back to my old life like none of this had ever happened? Could I really just turn around and never look back?

I already knew the answer to all of those questions though. It pained me to think about it, and it pained me to say it out loud, but it was the only way.

"I promise."

Everything happened so fast.

One minute, those flames were burning both of our bodies as the sun rose higher and higher in the morning sky, and the next, there was nothing. My eyes were still squeezed shut, and at first, I thought we had died. But I could feel the pain from my burn wounds, and death should have felt peaceful, right? It was for that reason that my eyes slowly opened, that I let out the breath I never knew I had held in. I was more relieved than I thought I would ever be to see that hotel hallway. I was so relieved, that I could no longer hold myself upright. My legs finally collapsed beneath me, and it was only Godric's arms that held me up.

"Master?" Eric's voice held surprise as he stood halfway down the hallway. "Y-you're alive."

"I've realized that perhaps a few more years would not hurt." Godric's voice was monotone as he spoke. "I ask only one favour of you."

"Anything." Eric nodded, moving towards us quickly. His cheeks were still stained with blood, his shirt soaked with the red liquid I was sure. "Ask me of anything and it'll be yours."

"Heal her." Godric slowly began releasing his arms from me.

I tried to grab onto his arms, to keep in his grasps for a little while longer. But he had other plans as he instead moved me towards Eric, who, with a frowns settled on his lips, grabbed me by the waist and held me to his side.

"Godric?" Eric questioned.

"Heal her, my son. That's all I wish for." Godric smiled sadly up at his progeny, not even giving me a second glance. "For that, I'll grant you a little more time."

Eric could only nod as Godric moved around us, walking down the hallway until he reached the door Isabel had ripped off its hinges for me. I tried calling out to him, but he ignored me as he slipped into the room. I knew at that moment, that what I had promised would be true. I would have to return home. I would have to leave and never look back. Godric would make sure of it.

And that killed me.

But he was alive, that was all I could think about now. Godric would still be here, roaming this earth. Maybe things will change. Maybe in a few months, Godric will seek me out, or I'll find enough courage to search him out. Maybe he'll come to his senses and we can live happily ever after. At least there was an if. At least there was a maybe. He was alive; there was still the possibility of a future together. I nearly didn't even have that.

"I don't know what you said or what you did but...thank you." Eric's voice was soft, and I knew I wouldn't be hearing those two words from his mouth again for quite some times.

"Don't thank her." Sookie spoke softly and I hadn't even realized she had followed us down from the room. "She gave up everything for him."

Eric frowned as he stared down at me. "What does she mean?"

"Nothing." I shook my head, my voice hoarse from all the crying. "You don't need to heal me. I'll be fine."

"I will." Eric shook his head. "And then you'll tell me what Sookie meant by what she said."

"I won't."

"You will." He insisted.

I sighed but didn't disagree, knowing that eventually, Eric was going to realize that he finally got his wish. I was out of Godric's life. For good.

"You can use my room. To heal her I mean." Sookie offered and I sent her a grateful glance. She nodded in understanding, shooting me a sympathetic smile.

Eric still look confused, not even understanding why it was his job to heal me and not Godric's. But he didn't ask any more questions as he helped me along to Sookie's room only a few doors down from the room Godric had slipped into. I stared at the room longingly, wishing I could just rush in there and be with him. But I knew that was impossible now. I had given him my word, we had struck a deal. What would happen if I broke that promise? I wasn't so sure I wanted to find out. So I will leave. I will get on a plan and fly home; not because I wanted to, but because it was what had to be done.

* * *

It was only an hour later that I was waiting by the elevator, trying desperately not to break down and cry. Not again anyways. After Eric had healed me, Sookie had been the good friend I thought she would be, and just let me cry on her shoulder. I cried out of happiness that Godric was alive, that he hadn't died. I cried out of pure agony, knowing that he and I weren't meant to be, that I might never feel his arms around me ever again. I thought I had cried the last of my tears, but as I stood there, waiting impatiently for the elevator doors to open, I found that I hadn't even come close. My eyes were already brimming with tears as I shot quick little glances down the hallway and to where Godric and Eric's room lay. I so badly wanted to run to that door and pound on it until someone let me in. of course, both were bound to be asleep now, and even if they weren't, no one would open the door. They couldn't. Because I had promised Godric that I would leave, that I would never look back.

I just never realized how excruciatingly hard it was going to be.

"You told me you were never going to leave."

I gave a small yelp in fright as I twisted around, my heart pounding in my chest, my eyes growing wide as I took in Eric's tall form standing a bit too close for comfort. I hesitantly took a step back, getting a good look at him. I frowned as I noticed the blood.

"You have the bleeds." I pointed out. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Eric looked over his shoulder, almost as if he was afraid Godric would step out of the room at any time and catch him in the act. But in the act of what?

"Eric?" I pressed. "I have to go. My plane is leaving in two hours."

"You're really leaving, aren't you?" He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh.

"I told you that I was, Eric. I told you why." I looked away.

"And you told me nothing would run you off. You told me you weren't just going to walk away from him." his expression hardened as he took a step forward. "You assured me that you wouldn't hurt my maker."

"He doesn't want me here, Eric." The tears were threatening to fall once again. "You know I would stay if I could."

"Then stay."

"Fine, but you might as well kiss your maker goodbye then!" I threw my arms up in frustration. "I love him, Eric. I love him more than anything. But if I stay here, then he'll just go and try to kill himself again. And I refuse to let that happen."

"So you're just going to walk away? You're just going to leave him?" his eyebrows furrowed, as if he couldn't understand the mere idea of self sacrifice. Maybe he was just used to everything always going his way. Because once again, he got what he wanted. His maker was alive, and I was no longer in the picture.

"Why do you even care, Eric? You're getting exactly what you've always wanted. You've hated me since day one. You never wanted me in Godric's life. Well you're finally getting your wish." I threw him a dark look. "Congratulations, you win."

His gritted his teeth and stuffed his hands into his jean pockets. "Do you think I want my maker miserable? Do you think I haven't noticed the looks he's given you? He loves you. I don't understand how. Vampires don't love. Godric taught me many centuries ago that not to be at the mercy of our emotions. And yet with you...he's different. I may not like you or the idea of you but he's...he was, happy."

"And now he's alive. And I'm leaving." I wrapped my arms around myself. "I'd rather be forced to live apart from him, than to live without him."

"Isn't it the same thing?"

"At least now I know that there's a chance he might change his mind. At least now I know that he'll always be there if I truly needed him. We're still blood bonded. We're still connected in this supernatural way. That's better than nothing. That's better than not having him here at all." I shrugged, a tear slipping down my cheek.

I was stilled out of surprise as Eric raised a thumb to brush away the tear before I could do it. I stared up at him, my mouth gaping open.

"You're sad." He commented, more curious than anything.

"It hurts like hell to be leaving. But this pain is more manageable than the alternative." I let my gaze fall down to my feet. "I should go."

"Take this." I felt an overstuffed envelope being shoved into my hands. I peered at it closely before lifting the lip. I nearly dropped the envelope in surprise when I found the wad of bills staring up at me.

"W-what is this?" I stared at him with wide eyes. "Did Godric put you up to this?"

"No. He doesn't know I'm out here. Or maybe he does. He seems to know everything." Eric shrugged.

"Then what is this?" I tried to shove the envelope back into his hands. "I don't want your money, Eric."

"Just take it." He took a step back, refusing to take the money back. "I know how much you hate being given things. But you lost everything in the bombing. You've lost everything in general. Just take it. Go home. Get back to your life. And don't ever tell me I never did a thing for you."

"You saved my life; I would consider that doing something for me." I chewed on my bottom lip as I looked between the vampire and the money. My pride told me to not take it. But my broken heart, well it wasn't really telling me much of anything at the moment. "I don't know..."

"Just take the god damn money and let me do a good deed, for fucks sake!" Eric's patience was growing thin.

"Okay, okay." I raised my hands in defence. "Fine, I'll take it. Thank you."

"Whatever." He grumbled, twisting on his heel and beginning back to his hotel room.

I sighed and turned towards the elevator doors, though not before Eric spoke his parting words.

"Fangtasia." He called to me, glancing over his shoulder as he stopped before his room.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Fangtasia. It's the name of my bar. In Shreveport. Should anything ever happen..." He trailed off, a pained look crossed over his face and I could tell just how difficult these niceties were for the vampire.

"Thank you." I whispered, though I knew he heard me perfectly.

He just nodded his head and seconds later, I was alone in the hallway. I ran a hand through my hair as moments later, the doors finally slid open to reveal an empty elevator. I stepped inside, leaning against the back wall as I stared down at the money filled envelope again. I was surprised that Eric cared enough to send me on my way with more money than I could ever remember calling my own. I was surprised that Eric cared enough to tell me his place of business in case anything should ever happen. I was surprised that Eric even cared at all. But I suppose a lot had happen in the last six months, more than I ever could have imagined.

I had come here to save the life of a vampire from my dreams. I never imagined any of this would have happened. I never intended on falling in love, on integrating myself into this life. Six months later, however, I was leaving the new life I had built, only to return home after months of absolutely no communication between me and my parents. I wasn't sure if I would even be welcome there anymore. I wasn't sure if I even wanted to go there. But I didn't have much of a choice right now. I needed to regroup. I needed somewhere to go where I could cry all night and busy myself all day. And there was no better place than home for that.

Everything felt like a blur as I made my way down into the lobby and picked up the plane ticket that Eric once again had surprised me by booking. Soon, I was standing on the curb, waiting for the hotel doorman to flag down a taxi. While I waited, I couldn't help myself as I gazed up at the hotel I had just left. Up there, right at this moment, was the man that I loved, the only one I would ever love. And I was leaving him. And he was letting me go. It killed me. It destroyed me inside. But this was how things had to be. There was no choice in the matter. It was the worst ultimatum possible. But there was no other choice than to leave. Maybe it was tragically sad, but it was the way it had to be to keep Godric alive.

"Miss?"

I sighed and turned to find the doorman holding open the back door to a taxi. I offered a smile before slipping into the back, the door closing behind me.

"Where to Miss?" the taxi driver glanced over his shoulder at me. "Miss?"

"The airport please." My voice was strained as I tried to keep my emotions at bay.

The taxi driver nodded before pulling out of park and into the morning traffic. I shot the hotel one last glance, wishing I never had to look away. But I knew only within minutes, it would be lost from view. Even when I had to twist around in my seat to stare at the hotel as it grew smaller and smaller in the back window, I never looked away. Only when the taxi turned a corner did I lose view of the hotel, and in turn, the man that I would forever love.

A lone tear slid down my cheek as I turned back around and settled into the backseat of the taxi. I whispered to myself under my breath, my eyes closing as I clasped my shaking hands together.

"Goodbye Godric."


	37. REWRITE

Hey everyone,

After long consideration, I have decided to rewrite Taylor and Godric's adventure. This includes this fic and the sequel. While I love what I have written, there's just a whole lot of plot holes and annoyances that I have found. And honestly, I just have no idea where I was taking this. Which is plenty frustrating because I have so many ideas for these two, and I damn well just want these two to have a nice little happy ending.

So a re-write is happening. This isn't just going to be minor changes. This is an entire re-write. While the premise will remain the same, with a very similar plot and storyline, there will be rather major changes and arcs. I would love to encourage you to read **Wake Me Up **when it is posted shortly. The ending will be significantly different than this one.

Thank you all for sticking with me. I still get reviews and PMs asking me to continue with the sequel. And I am. Just in a slightly different way. Thanks for all of your support with this fic, and I hope you check out the re-written version!

There might actually be a happy ending this time ;)


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